BETHANY – Southern Nazarene's softball team took a brief hiatus from Great American Conference play as they welcomed in MIAA affiliate Washburn on Wednesday afternoon at Cypert Athletic Complex. In windy, rainy conditions SNU fell 7-3 to the hands of WU.
The Crimson Storm (8-12) racked up 10 hits in the game but left a total of 12 runners on base which proved costly down the stretch. The Ichabods (12-3) were scorching at the plate as well with 13 hits as they also tallied seven RBI.
Brooklyn Sparkman got the start in the circle for the Storm as the senior pitched just 0.2 innings.
Chelsea Vandiver came on in relief for SNU and tossed 6.1 innings while striking out three Ichabod hitters. She allowed five earned runs and took her sixth loss of the season.
Mahina Sauer led the way at the plate for Southern Nazarene as the senior went 2-for-2 with two RBI's and a double.
Natalie Jones and Sparkman also recorded multiple hits in the game as Jones finished 2-for-2 with a run scored while Sparkman went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Sydney Sundbye scored a run for SNU with her 1-for-3 finish at the plate, while
Riah Smith,
Brooklyn Sullivan, and
Victoria Rodriguez also registered a hit for the Crimson Storm.
Washburn wasted no time in getting on the board in the top of the first as they pushed two runs across the plate to take an early 2-0 lead. Southern Nazarene came right back in the bottom of the first when Sauer's single to center field scored Jones to make it 2-1. Later in the same inning, Sparkman ripped a single to the gap to score Sundbye to tie it up 2-2.
After a scoreless second and third, the Ichabods pushed a run across to re-take the lead at 3-2 before Sauer doubled in the bottom of the fourth to score
Morgan Brannon to nod things up at 3-3. The fifth inning was the killer for SNU as Washburn's bats really got going. They plated four runs to extend their lead to 7-3. Sweeping rain began to carry into the stadium in the final two innings making it difficult for the Storm to get back in it as the Ichabods closed the door in the final two innings to take the victory.
Southern Nazarene will hit the road this weekend to Russellville, Arkansas to battle Arkansas Tech on Friday and Saturday. First pitch with the Golden Suns on Friday is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
