BETHANY, Okla. – Just before the Easter holiday break, Southern Nazarene hosted the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs for a Thursday-Friday three game series. The Storm (24-11, 15-4 GAC) stepped up big and knocked off a feisty Bulldogs (12-21, 8-12 GAC) squad in all three contests, with the last two being by walk-offs from Hailey Evams and Emma Green. This marks their fourth sweep of the season and a winning streak of four games. 


Game 1 
Southern Nazarene batted back and forth with the the Buldogs in the opening game, taking a two run lead in the first inning to then rally back from a thee run deficit to defeat SWOSU by three total runs.

Sydney Sundbye broke out a two-run single to kick things off, plating both Liana Heshiki and Kenedi Morelock. SWOSU was able to steal the lead in the top of the second with a three run homerun, putting the Storm behind just a single run two innings in. 

A Hailey Evans double tied the game at three-all as Emma Green crossed home moving into the third inning. SWOSU continued to pull away from the Storm as they answered with a double of their own to take back the lead now at 4-3. The Storm found another way to answer, but this time, it was Liana Heshiki who lifted a single over to center field that gave Green another trip home to tie the contest once again. 

A bases loaded walk earned the Bulldogs another one-run edge in the fifth, but SNU found an offensive burst that eventually awarded them the final victory.  A Mikayla Franks single and back-to-back ground outs from Evans and Morleock combined for four quick runs, enough to shoot the Storm up to an 8-5 lead. 

Storm pitcher Maddie Southerland defended her squad's lead in the sixth inning, giving SNU one final frame to tack on more runs. Southern Nazarene couldn't make much of the bottom of the sixth, but walked away with the final 8-5 series opening victory over the Bulldogs. 

Heshiki, Morelock, and Evans all finished 2-4 at the plate. Southerland snagged the win with zero runs allowed and two strikeouts delivered. 

Game 2 
The Bulldogs wasted zero time making a statement in the opening game of the doubleheader, blasting a home run on the first pitch of the contest. The Storm were able to battle back in the second inning from a a wild pitch and a ground out that earned two RBIs for SNU, taking the one-run lead over the Bulldogs. 

A bases loaded walk in the top of the second allowed SWOSU to tack on another run to their side of the scoreboard, tying it at two-all. Southern Nazarene responded quickly with a ground out from Mikayla Oaks and a single from Kristen Mullendore, snagging two runs to gain the lead once more at 4-2. 

The scoring exchange continued on into the fourth as another SWOSU single plated one and they cut the Storm's lead down to just a a single run. Ashley Larson was able to retire the side to keep SNU's lead in tact, but was forced to settle for another scoreless frame moving into the fifth inning. Larson handed the Bulldogs another scorless frame, leaving one stranded on base to put the Storm back at the plate for the bottom of the fifth. 

Macy Stewart made her pinch hitting appearance successful with a double to right field that scored both Mullendore and Oaks, pushing the Storm's lead to 6-3 after the side was retired. 

Three consecutive bases-loaded walks gave SWOSU three additional runs in the sixth inning, knotting the game once more at 6-6. SWOSU's efforts continued on as they punched in the go-ahead single, achieving the 7-6 lead before Janie Worthington retired the side. 

Southern Nazarene rallied back in homerun fashion, starting with an Evans single followed by a huge Heshiki homerun that put SNU back in the lead 8-7. Singles from Mullendore and Sundbye put two on, but SWOSU escaped with the final out to retire the side to head into the final inning. 


SWOWU's prayers were answered as SNU committed a costly fielding error, allowing the runner on to make it home for the tying run. Worthington was able to quickly retire the side as her team had one last shot at putting the Bulldogs away for good. 

After a fly out and a ground out started off the bottom seventh, Hailey Evans made all the difference with a the walk-off blast over the center field fence, stealing the win back for the Storm by a final 9-8 score, improving to 2-0 in the series. 

Evans completely dominated the second game, finishing 4-5 at the plate with an RBI and home run. Worthington got her 13th win of the season with three strikeouts and only one hit allowed. 

Game 3

The Storm were the first to score in the doubleheader closure off of Heshiki's ground out that pushed Mullendore home for the quick 1-0 lead. The Bulldogs worked fast to gain an edge in the top of the second inning, launching three singles in the inning, each good for a run to put them ahead 3-1. 

Southern Nazarene began to challenge their lead, beginning with Stewart's single that pushed Sundbye home for the 3-2 trail. Green's fly-out earned SNU the game-tying run at 3-3 as Mikayla Franks found her way home. A Morelock single put SNU back ahead by one and Heshiki capped off the inning with an exciting three run home run to soar the Storm to 7-3 advantage after the side was retired. 

The offense grew quiet in the third between both teams, but Southern Nazarene caught fire in the fourth, starting with Peyton Norvelle reaching on a throwing error by SWOSU which scored Green again for the 8-3 gap. Heshiki continued her offensive clinic with a huge double that earned Norvelle the trip across home and SNU soon lifted their lead to 9-3 after the Bulldogs made the final out of the inning. 

Janie Worthington continued to deliver the heat from the circle, handing the Bulldogs another scoreless frame. With bases loaded in the bottom fifth, Emma Green aired a double to center field that plated both Sundbye and Warden, calling the game for the Storm by another walk-off win of 11-3. 

Heshiki came up big for SNU with her two hits for five total RBIs, including a double and a home run. 
Worthington tacked on another win to her season, grabbing her 14th with three more strikeouts and just one
hit allowed. 

Up Next

Southern Nazarene will prepare for a quick Tuesday, April 2nd doubleheader with Arlington Baptist at 5 p.m.This contest will be played over at Piedmont High School in Piedmont, Oklahoma.