BETHANY, Okla. – In their last home series of the regular season, Southern Nazarene completely dominated Tere Webber Field as they took down Ouachita Baptist in all three games of the series. 

Looking to end their last home appearance on a high note, the Storm (34-14, 23-7 GAC) snatched another series sweep, this time, defeating the Tigers (10-37, 5-25 GAC) in all three games to keep their second place title in the GAC untouched. 


Game 1

Southern Nazarene put on a show to kick off the senior day doubleheader, exploding for 13 total runs to put away the Tigers early for the run-rule victory. 

Janie Worthington got the start inside the circle for SNU and delivered a quick three up three down inning the way of the Tigers. A five-run opening inning gave the Storm the boost they needed to take care of business early. Doubles from Liana Heshiki and Kristen Mullendore helped SNU achieve the 3-0 lead. A fielder's choice and Sydney Sundbye's trot home pushed SNU ahead by five before the side was retired. 

Worthington continued to cause issues for the Tigers as she forced a fly-out and back-to-back strikeouts to quickly turn over the side. A Hailey Evans single tacked on another run for the Storm to make it a 6-0 lead and the offense was up and running from there. A fielding error, a fly out, and a passed ball brought in more runs for the Storm to close out the second inning and SNU was soon ahead 9-0 moving into the third inning. 

The Tigers were still without a hit over the next two and half innings and Worthington continued to deliver the heat from the circle. In the top of the fourth, the Tigers were able to produce two hits to escape the no-hitter, but they weren't able to get anything out of it as the side was retired. A Mullendore single followed by an OBU fielding error brought in two more runs for the Storm and Mikayla Franks' single rounded out the scoring with two RBIs as Sundbye and Mullendore crossed home.

Moving closer to run-rule territory, the SNU defense had one more frame to work through before calling the victory early. Olivia Hernandez came in to relieve Worthington for the final few at-bats and picked up where Janie left off, recording a strikeout to hand OBU a quick out. The Storm defense stood their ground after a fielder's choice and pop-up, ending Game 1 early with the final 13-0 victory. 

Game 2

Southern Nazarene battled through a close Game 2 with OBU as the score sat at a 2-2 tie in innings three and four before SNU broke the standoff in the fifth. 

The Tigers were the first to put a run on the board in the opening inning off of a single, but SNU was quick to respond as a Sundbye single and a Franks walk tacked on two runs for the Storm to take the one-run lead. 

After a scoreless second inning, the Tigers managed to challenge the Storm with the 2-2 tie after a costly SNU throwing error. The tie lasted through the fourth inning, but Southern Nazarene wasted no time reclaiming the lead after a Franks flyout, an Evans single, and a huge Emma Green single that combined for four runs for the 6-2 gap. That was the last of the action in the fifth inning and SNU was in good spirits moving into the sixth. 

Worthington held off the OBU offense to keep the Tigers from a potential comeback, forcing a ground out and back-to-back strikeouts to quickly turn over the side. Southern Nazarene was unable to respond as a cold spell at the plate ended their frame early, leaving one final opportunity for the Tigers to close the gap. Ouachita Baptist managed to keep the action alive with a single to get one on base, but another strikeout and a pop-up ultimately sealed their Game 2 fate, leaving the Storm to earn the final 6-2 victory for the series win. 

Game 3 
Ouachita Baptist surprised the Storm early in the contest with an RBI double. Emma Swearingen wasted no time responding, blasting a long ball over the scoreboard to score Evans for the 2-1 lead. 

Starting pitcher Maddie Southerland kept the Tigers at bay with a scoreless second inning, and SNU landed more runs after an Oaks single plated both Morelock and Franks for the 4-1 advantage. 

OBU caught a burst at the plate after two doubles, a fielder's choice, and a stolen base combined for four total runs, giving them the 5-4 lead over the Storm in the third inning. 

Southern Nazarene found an edge of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning after an Evans' single pushed Morelock home to tie the game at five-all. Heshiki put down a sac bunt that rewarded Green with the run and Swearingen capped off the inning with a single to center field that scored Noa Dodson, pushing SNU ahead 7-5. 

Worthington continued to make things difficult for the Tiger offense, forcing a quick three up and three down fifth inning. The Storm saw a few singles in the bottom half of the fifth, but the OBU defense stepped up to keep the Storm with the two-run gap. 

The Tigers looked to overcome the two-run deficit, but Worthington stopped them dead in their tracks after they found some light with a walk and an infield double to get two on base. Worthington forced the final out to end the frame, defending SNU's slim 7-5 lead. 

Still down by two runs, OBU looked to stay alive to avoid the series sweep in the final inning. Worthington made that quest impossible as she handed the Tigers two consecutive strikeouts and forced a pop-up, securing the final 7-5 victory for the Storm to ensure the series sweep. 

The last win for Worthington marked her third of the series and her 19th of the year. She racked up a total of 20 strikeouts against the Tigers and only allowed six hits in her three game appearances. 

Emma Green was one of the highlights of the Storm offense throughout the entire series, finishing the three games 5-9 at the plate with 2 RBIs and a triple. 

Up Next 

The Storm will compete in their last regular season series in preparation for the GAC tournament. They will travel to Searcy, Arkansas to take on the Bisons of Harding University Friday April 26th for a 4 p.m. doubleheader followed by a single game at noon on Saturday April 27th.