ADA, Okla. – Southern Nazarene's softball team (11-5, 4-0 GAC) traveled to Ada for the final two games against the East Central Tigers (3-8, 0-4 GAC) and walked away with the 4-game sweep. In the first game, the Crimson Storm bested the Tigers 8-7 in a very competitive match-up. In the final game, SNU was trailing most of the game, but late heroics saved the Storm, as they ousted the Tigers 8-3.
In the first game of the day,
Brooklyn Sparkman got the start on the mound for the Crimson Storm. Sparkman pitched for 2.1 innings and struck two ECU batters out in the process.
Caitlin Lewis relieved Sparkman in the bottom of the third. Lewis pitched for 1.1 innings and allowed two runs.
Courtney Cox came into the game to pitch in the top of the 6th inning. Cox closed out the game for 3.1 innings, and she put on a masterful performance. Cox was a huge reason SNU got the best of the Tigers, as she pitched to 12 batters and allowed just one hit, and also had a strikeout.
Hailie Fellers had a big day at the plate for the Crimson Storm as she went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Peyton Robinson had strong numbers batting for SNU once again with one RBI, one hit, and she also scored a run. Another player who excelled for the Storm today at the dish was
Brooklyn Sullivan. Sullivan put together one hit, one run, and one RBI.
The game started out with no runs being scored in the first inning of play. Early in the top of the 2nd inning,
Caitlyn Curlee put up the first run of the day as she scored off of an RBI from
Natalie Jones. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, ECU scored two runs to take their first lead of the game at 2-1.
SNU had a huge third inning in which they scored a total of seven runs to re-take the lead. ECU managed to put up three runs however to keep the game competitive. In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers scored two times to cut SNU's lead down to just one at 8-7, and Cox held ECU's batters scoreless for the rest of the contest.
In the second game,
Mahina Sauer got the start for the Crimson Storm. Sauer faced seven batters and she allowed three runs.
Chelsea Vandiver came in relief for the Storm in the bottom of the first inning. Vandiver was nearly perfect on the mound as she pitched to 24 batters only allowing two hits, no runs, and also struck out five ECU batters.
Natalie Jones shined for the Storm in this final game with three hits, two RBI, and one run scored.
Caitlyn Curlee and
Mahina Sauer also starred for SNU at the plate as they each had a solo home-run.
Hailie Fellers had another solid game with an RBI, two hits, and one run.
In the first inning, Robinson took advantage of an ECU throwing error, and scored the first run of the game. East Central scored three quick runs later in the inning to take a two run lead on the Crimson Storm.
From the 2nd inning all the way to the 5th inning, both teams went cold at the plate and didn't put any runs on the scoreboard. In the 6th inning, the game changed drastically. Fellers singled to left inning resulting in an RBI which Fellers scored off of. Not too long after that, Jones hit a single which allowed Curlee to score. The score was now 4-3, and SNU had their first lead since the top of the 1st inning.
Sanchez scored next to give the Crimson Storm a two run advantage. Jones then scored off of an RBI from
Peyton Robinson to further extend the SNU lead. At the start of the 7th inning, SNU led the game 6-3. Sauer and Curlee shocked the ECU crowd as they both hit a solo home-run to put the game on ice. SNU won their final game of a 4-game stretch against ECU 8-3.
Southern Nazarene comes back home to Bethany for their home-opening series next weekend to face the Ouachita Tigers next Friday and Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday.
