TUCSON, Ariz. – Southern Nazarene's softball team competed in day two of the Cactus Classic on Saturday and came away with a couple of losses, 3-1 to Dixie State and 8-3 to Western Oregon.
In the first game of the day against the Trail Blazers, the Crimson had their hands full as Dixie entered the game with a 10-1 record. SNU managed just four hits at the plate but did a very good job on the defensive side, holding their explosive offense.
Chelsea Vandiver got the start in the circle as she took her third loss of the season. She tossed 6.1 innings and struck out one while allowing three runs on three hits.
Brooklyn Sparkman also provided 0.2 innings of relief as well.
At the dish,
Kai Sanchez was the only spark for the Crimson Storm as she went 2-for-3 with two triples and an RBI.
Peyton Robinson and
Hailie Fellers each recorded the only other two hits for SNU in the game as Robinson also scored a run.
Southern Nazarene got the party started in the bottom of the third when Sanchez's triple to right field scored Robinson to give SNU the early 1-0 lead. The Storm defense held strong all the way up to the final inning as Dixie pushed three runs across the plate to take the 3-1 lead. SNU needed at least two to keep the game alive but the Trail Blazers shut the door and took the game.
Caitlin Lewis got the nod in the final game of the day for SNU as she took her first loss of the season against the Wolves. She pitched 1.1 innings and allowed five runs, four earned, on three hits.
Brooklyn Sparkman,
Courtney Cox, and
Cassidy Davila all came on in relief for the Storm. The Crimson Storm managed to get the bats going against WOU, recording seven hits but a couple of errors in the field proved to be the difference maker.
Western Oregon led things off in the bottom of the first as they scored a couple of runs to take the early 2-0 lead.
Raegan Roten doubled to left field in the top of the second to score
Hailie Fellers and
Mahina Sauer to tie the score up at 2-2. The Wolves came back in the bottom half of the inning with three more runs to re-take the lead at 5-2. Roten's bat stayed hot in the fourth as she singled to center field to score Fellers to cut into the WOU lead at 5-3.
The Wolves added one run in the fourth and two more in the sixth inning to push their lead to 8-3 and made it really difficult for the Crimson Storm to get back in it. WOU closed the door in the seventh, handing SNU its second loss of the day and third of the tournament.
Southern Nazarene will look to get back on track tomorrow in the final day of the Cactus Classic with games against West Texas A&M at 12:30 and Eastern New Mexico at 3:00.
