NAMPA, Idaho - The Northwest Nazarene softball team split a GNAC doubleheader with Western Oregon University this afternoon, falling 3-2 in game one and winning the nightcap 7-6.

Second basemen Ashley Gardner and Arielle Chao had last-inning game-winning RBIs for Western Oregon (10-22, 7-13) and Northwest Nazarene (13-19, 12-10), respectively.

In the first game, Gardner's sacrifice fly drove in Bailey Rueck with the winning run in the top of the seventh. Rueck had led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on an error and to third on a fly out before scoring on the sacrifice.

Jessica Hallmark drove in WOU's first two runs with a home run in the first inning. NNU got one run back in the second on a home run by Elizabeth Beaty and then tied the game in the fifth on a single by Kristin Refsland.

Alex Hillmick, who allowed four hits, outdueled Chelsey Anderson, who gave up six. Hallmark and Refsland led their respective teams with two hits each.

Chao, Haley Hevern and Nicole Grummons each drove in two runs to lead Northwest Nazarene in the nightcap. Trailing 4-1, the Crusaders scored twice in the fourth on a home run by Beaty and a double by Nicole Grummons and twice in the fifth on a homer by Haley Hevern to go ahead 5-4.

Western Oregon, however, tied the game in the sixth on a single by Kendra George and went ahead in the seventh on a home run by Hallmark.

But Western Oregon couldn't hold the lead in the bottom of the frame. After Hillmick gave up two walks and a single to Chelsea Allsbrook to load the bases, Chao ended it with a two-run double to left center.