RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Southern Nazarene's softball team split the doubleheader on the final day of the series with Arkansas Tech on Saturday, as they dropped the first game 3-1 and came back to win the finale 7-2.
The Crimson Storm (10-13, 8-6 GAC) leave Russellville taking two of three with the Golden Suns (8-7, 6-5 GAC). After managing just four hits in the first game of the day, the Storm pushed seven runs across the plate on just three hits. The Suns committed four errors in the field and SNU took advantage in the finale.
Chelsea Vandiver got the start in the circle in the opening game as she tossed 6.0 innings and allowed four hits and three runs, two earned. At the plate, it was slim pickens as
Mahina Sauer recorded two of the Storm's four hits in the game. She finished 2-for-3 at the dish.
Brooklyn Sparkman and
Victoria Rodriguez recorded the Storm's other two hits as
Morgan Brannon was the lone runner to cross the plate in the opener.
After three scoreless innings, Arkansas Tech got on the board first with a two-RBI single to give the Golden Suns a 2-0 lead. Later in the sixth,
Caitlyn Curlee walked, which allowed Brannon to score on a wild pitch to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. The Suns added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 3-1, and SNU couldn't make anything happen in the seventh as ATU took game two of the series.
Brooklyn Sparkman got the nod on the rubber in the series finale and boy was she fantastic. She earned her sixth victory of the season after tossing 6.2 innings and striking out 12 batters on just four hits and one earned run.
Mahina Sauer led the way at the plate once again for SNU as she finished 1-for-2 with three RBIs, two runs scored and a home run, her fifth of the season.
Sydney Sundbye added an RBI with a run scored while
Hailie Fellers drove in a run with her 1-for-2 finish.
Brooklyn Sullivan went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while
Natalie Jones also crossed the plate for SNU as well.
Sauer got things started in the top of the third with a three-run bomb to center field to give Southern Nazarene the 3-0 lead. Arkansas Tech came right back in the bottom of the third with one run to cut into the Storm advantage at 3-1. The Crimson Storm added to their lead in the top of the fourth when Sullivan singled to center field scoring Sundbye to make it 4-1. Later in the inning, Fellers singled through the right-side scoring Sullivan to push the SNU lead to 5-1. SNU made it 6-1 with Sundbye's ground out that scored
Sydney Everhart.
The Golden Suns got back on the board in the bottom of the fifth with one run to make it 6-2, before SNU added an insurance run in the seventh with Sparkman reaching on an error that scored Sauer. After that, the Storm were able to close out ATU in the final half inning.
Southern Nazarene will be back home next weekend as they welcome in Harding for a weekend series. First pitch with the Bisons on Friday is set for 3:00 p.m.
