BETHANY, Okla. – Southern Nazarene recorded two exciting wins over Newman before the start of GAC play, winning by a run-rule in Game 1 (8-0) and then again by a walk-off homerun in Game 2 (6-3).
Game 1
The Storm (8-6, 0-0 GAC) were the clear controllers in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Jets (6-5, 0-0 GAC), keeping Newman scoreless the entire game to earn the run-rule victory with eight runs through five innings.
Southern Nazarene's victory had a lot to do with the impressive pitching from
Janie Worthington who pitched in all five innings and recorded a whopping nine strikeouts. She earned her first of the nine in the opening inning to stump the Jets early, leaving the game wide open for the Storm to begin their scoring frenzy in the following innings.
Emma Green was the first to turn a hit into a run for the Storm when she singled to left field with the bases loaded to plate
Graysen Stanley for the 1-0 lead. Lead-off batter
Hailey Evans made it a 2-0 lead with her single to third that sent
Sydney Sundbye across home, pushing the Jets farther back on the board.
Liana Heshiki had the hot bat to finish off the second inning, cracking out a huge double to left center that totaled three RBIs, running up the Storm's lead to 5-0 moving into the third inning.
Worthington continued to keep the Jets scoreless with her control in the circle, allowing the Storm offense to shine. Sundbye broke out a single to left field that gave
Macy Stewart the trip home, putting SNU closer to run rule territory. Heshiki made it an even closer chance with her fly out to center field that plated Sundbye at the end of the third, soaring the Storm to a 7-0 advantage.
The fourth inning was quiet between both squads with Worthington still working wonders in the circle, but the fifth was the last and final inning of the game as Evans' sac fly sent Sundbye home again, earning SNU the run-rule victory of 8-0 to conclude Game 1.
Worthington recorded her fourth win of the season with five innings pitched and nine total strikeouts.
Heshiki led offensively with 2-2 hitting and four RBIs.
Game 2
Newman took the break between games to reorganize their offensive scheme and were the first to score in the second game from single to right center, recording their first run of the doubleheader.
Freshman
Kristen Mullendore was quick to respond, launching a solo home run over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1.
Olivia Hernandez worked from inside the circle, keeping the Jets at bay in the second and third innings while Evans carried over her Game 1 heat with a single through the left side that recorded two RBIs as
Emma Green and
Maddie Riley crossed home.
With SNU ahead 3-1, Newman felt the pressure and made it a one-run game in the top of fifth from a right field single. SNU was unphased as
Emma Swearingen launched a bomb over the left field fence with two runners on, securing the three RBI, walk off home run for the final 6-3 defeat of Newman in Game 2.
Swearingen's home run was her second of the season, putting her at 2-4 on the day with a total of three RBIs.
Up Next
Southern Nazarene will gear up for the first conference series this season as they host Arkansas Tech for a single game on Friday, February 23rd at 3 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday February 24th at noon.
