LUBBOCK, Texas—Just as they did on Friday, Southern Nazarene split Saturday's two games, taking a shootout 16-10 over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, before failing to cross the plate in a 7-0 loss to Eastern New Mexico.
GAME 1:
Southern Nazarene picked up a wild 16-10 win over the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in game one of Saturday's action. The Crimson Storm strung together three separate innings of five runs. The 16 total runs marked the most since scoring 18 in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma State back in 2021. Balls were flying out of the park left and right as the teams combined for six home runs in the game.
The Storm quickly got going in the first inning. A Hailey Evans RBI single got the scoring started. That was followed by a Rachel Weiss RBI single. The scoring was all capped off by Macy Stewart's first career home run, a three run blast over the center field wall.
The quick lead for SNU did not last, though, as UCCS tacked on 1 run in the second inning and 4 more in the third inning, a grand slam, to tie the game. SNU got back in front in the top of the fourth on a Brooklyn Sullivan big fly to right-center field.
After the Mountain Lions tied the game, SNU erupted for another five runs in the sixth. They capitalized on a pair of UCCS errors, and used another three-run blast, this one off the bat of Hailey Evans, to jump in front 11-5. Evans finished the game an incredible 4-for-5 at the plate with 5 RBIs.
The scoring was not done there for SNU. The Storm tacked on five more runs on five hits with the help of a pair of errors. The Mountain Lions totaled five errors in the game, leading to nine unearned runs for the Crimson Storm. Along with Evans' big day at the plate, Emma Swearingen and Rachel Weiss also recorded multi-hit games. Swearingen notched three hits, including a double, while Weiss added a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs.
Jayleigh Totten recorded the win out of the bullpen, her first of the season.
Game 2:
The offensive success from game one did not carry over for the Crimson Storm in game two, unfortunately. The Storm mustered just 4 hits and were kept off the scoreboard as Eastern New Mexico ran away with the game, 7-0.
SNU only managed to make their way into scoring position in the game once after a Zion Archer bunt hit advanced Natalie Jones to second base in the fourth inning. A lineout and a strikeout followed, though, eliminating the Storm's chance at pushing a run across.
After the Greyhounds scored six runs in the first two innings, Olivia Hernandez came into the game and pitched a gem in the circle. She finished the final 5.2 innings, allowing just one run and striking out 6 batters. She also pitched one inning of shutout ball with 2 strikeouts in the first game of the day, giving her 8 strikeouts and just one run given up in the first 6.2 innings of her collegiate career.
With one festival behind them, Southern Nazarene will have two more, including hosting one in two weeks, before turning their attention to Great American Conference play. Next weekend, SNU travels to Bentonville, Arkansas for the Ally Early Classic. The Crimson Storm will take on William Jewell and Lincoln on Friday before battling Missouri Southern and Washburn again on Saturday. Friday's game with William Jewell is set for 11:00 a.m. Their meeting with Lincoln is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
