BETHANY, Okla. – Southern Nazarene Softball got to experience a winning weekend after taking down Northwestern Oklahoma State in not one, not two, but all three matchups (7-1, 6-5, 15-2) on Tere Webber Field, snatching the series sweep to improve to 7-2 in conference.
Game 1
The Storm's (16-9, 7-2 GAC) heat came a bit later in the opening game, having to overcome a 1-0 deficit from a Rangers (10-11, 2-7 GAC) run in the second inning.
Hailey Evans did what she does best in the bottom third and powered a huge double to center field that pushed
Emma Green across home to tie the contest at 1-1. The fire soon diminished for SNU, but it was rekindled in the fourth inning as the Storm exploded for four runs to achieve the 5-1 lead.
Kenedi Moelock sent a triple straight down the right field line that was able to plate
McKayla Franks to now grab the lead. With Morelock on base, Green put down a sac bunt that was able to score Morelock putting SNU ahead 3-1.
Evans stepped back up to the plate and excited the Storm crowd once more, homering over the right field fence to score two RBIs for the 5-1 advantage.
Macy Stewart then came in to pinch hit and delivered a single that allowed
Mikayla Oaks the trip home, awarding the Storm the 6-1 lead before the side was eventually retired.
Starting pitcher
Janie Worthington was a wall inside the circle, keeping the Rangers with just the single hit they recorded earlier in the contest. Southern Nazarene on the other hand was unphased by the pitching on the Rangers side as Mikayla Franks 'reached first on a Ranger throwing error which sent
Kristen Mullendore to score for the 7-1 lead.
Worthington racked up 6.2 pitched innings before Ashely Larson came in for relief to finish off NWOSU in the final few outs. Southern Nazarene grabbed the opening game victory 7-1 to start the series off on a high note.
Game 2
The Rangers challenged SNU in the first game of the doubleheader on Sunday, earning the early 2-0 lead in the second inning. Southern Nazarene struggled to channel some momentum and NWOSU was able to take advantage, blasting a solo homerun over to left center to grow their lead to 3-0 in the third.
The bats continued to stay quiet for the Storm and the Rangers' offense kept delivering, bumping their lead to 4-0 on the fifth from a sacrifice fly that scored one.
Evans finally gave the Storm the energy they needed in the fifth inning, doubling to right field to plate Green, cutting the Ranger gap to three runs. Oaks responded with another double that was good for two RBIs, jumping SNU up to a 4-3 trail. Swearingen responded with the game tying run after her double plated Oaks, putting SNU right at 4-4 with NWOSU.
In the top of the sixth, NWOSU gained back their edge with a single that scored one, giving them the go-ahead run at 5-4. Evans stepped back up to the plate and delivered another double that gave SNU the lead after scoring Green and Mulendore once more.
After three rounds of SNU pitching changes throughout the contest,
Janie Worthington snatched the save after defending SNU's one-run lead, tallying her first of the season. Southern Nazarene escaped with the final 6-5 win to improve to 2-0 in the series.
Game 3
Southern Nazarene made a comeback nearly impossible to achieve as they not only exploded for 15 runs, they also were able to get the run-rule, holding the Rangers to just two runs.
SNU got off to another slow start, leaving Northwestern OSU to tack on the first two runs of the contest. That was the last time the Rangers scored as Southern Nazarene picked up the tempo, starting with back-to-back singles from Morelock and Evans that quickly pushed SNU to a 4-2 lead. Swearingen and Mullendore followed with two consecutive doubles that recorded four RBIs, soaring the Storm's lead to 8-2.
Sydney Sundbye capped off the second inning with a center field single, scoring Mullendore to finish off the second inning up 9-2.
The Rangers looked to have an answer, but
Olivia Hernandez brought the intensity from within the circle, denying the Rangers of seeing any more runs which opened up the scoring once again for the Storm. An Evans single,
Liana Heshiki home run, and a Mullendore double widened the gap even more for the Storm as they ran up the score to 13-2.
Northwestern OSU was able to crack out a few hits in the next few innings, but a
Macy Stewart double finished off the scoring for the Storm in the fourth inning, growing the lead to 15-2.
Hernandez stood strong in the circle, not allowing the Rangers any edge in the fifth inning, delivering the final out to achieve the 15-2 run rule and the series sweep of the Rangers.
Up Next
Southern Nazarene will now compete in a single game with Oklahoma Baptist on Tuesday, March 12th in Shawnee at 5 p.m.
