LUBBOCK, Texas – Southern Nazarene's softball team wrapped up the 2020 Lubbock Invitational with a 4-3 win over Chadron State and a 7-3 loss to Texas Permian-Basin on Sunday.
Courtney Cox got the start in the opener on Sunday as she tossed 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out three.
Brooklyn Sparkman came on in relief and the senior earned her first win of the season. She pitched 4.0 innings and struck out three Eagle batters, while allowing just one hit.
Caitlyn Curlee notched her fourth home run of the season in five games as she led the way at the plate for SNU in a 1-for-2 effort with an RBI and run scored.
Hailie Fellers' bat stayed hot as she went 1-for-3 with two RBI's in the contest.
Jacey James finished 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI while
Peyton Robinson and
Morgan Miller each scored a run for the Crimson Storm (4-2) as well.
It was a hard fought game for both sides as the game had to be decided in one extra inning. After two scoreless innings, James got the party started in the top of the third as she reached on a fielder's choice that scored Miller to give SNU the early 1-0 lead. Later in the same inning, Fellers' sacrifice fly scored Robinson to extend the Storm lead to 2-0. Chadron State came back in the bottom of the fourth, as they pushed three runs across to take a 3-2 lead, before Curlee's solo shot to right field tied it 3-3 in the fifth.
After the final two innings of regulation went scoreless, Fellers singled to right field in the top of the eighth to score James to give SNU the 4-3 advantage. Sparkman came in and delivered three outs to give the Storm its second straight win.
Chelsea Vandiver got the start in the nightcap game against the Falcons (5-5) and she took her second loss of the season. She tossed just 0.2 innings and allowed four runs.
Caitlin Lewis,
Cassidy Davila, and
Brooklyn Sparkman all saw action in relief for SNU as well as the trio combined for three strikeouts.
Jacey James had the game's only RBI for SNU as she went 1-for-4 at the dish.
Peyton Robinson was very efficient, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored.
Caitlyn Curlee and
Victoria Rodriguez each went 1-for-3 while
Natalie Jones finished 1-for-4.
Hailie Fellers and
Mahina Sauer also added a hit for the Crimson Storm as well.
Southern Nazarene had their work cut out for them all game as UT Permian-Basin racked up 11 hits in the game. They wasted no time at all in getting on the board as the Falcons pushed four runs across in the top of the first to take the early 4-0 lead. In the bottom half of the first, James reached on an error that scored Robinson to make it 4-1.
After a scoreless second inning, the Storm cut into the Falcon lead a little more as James' single to right scored Robinson to make it 4-2 before
Kai Sanchez's sacrifice fly in the fourth made it 4-3. UTPB scored three more runs in the fifth and closed the door on any SNU comeback in the final two innings.
Southern Nazarene will be back in action next weekend in Tucson, Arizona as they will compete in the Cactus Classic on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
