Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LAS VEGAS – The Crusader offense came alive Friday in Las Vegas in a very big way.

Gatalina Schuster hit a grand slam, one of three home runs on the day for the Northwest Nazarene softball team, which beat Notre Dame de Namur (Calif.) 10-1 before falling 9-4 to Minot State (N.D.) at the Desert Stinger Classic.

The Crusaders return to the diamond for three games in the tournament on Saturday, taking on Western New Mexico, Sonoma State (Calif.) and Cal State San Bernardino to wrap up the weekend event.

Friday against Notre Dame de Namur, the Crusaders (1-3 overall) jumped in front with a pair of runs in the third as Ashley Pesek had a sacrifice fly to open the scoring and NNU added a run on an error.

Kiahna Brown pushed the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the top of the fourth before Schuster broke the game opener with one big swing, smacking a grand slam to make it a 7-0 ballgame.

NNU tacked on three more in the top of the seventh, two coming on a homer from Brianna Kinghorn.

That was more than enough offense for Pesek who struck out five in the complete-game win in the circle.

Bouncing back quickly against Minot State, the Crusaders got a two-run homer from Whitney Carlton in the top of the fourth, trimming into a 3-0 deficit, but the Beavers plated four in their half of the inning en route to the victory.

Alyssa Nitschelm and Lisa Sylvester drove in a run each for the Crusaders in the sixth and seventh, respectively, closing the final margin.

Ali Schauer and Brown led the NNU offense against Minot State with a pair of hits each while Sylvester had three hits in the Crusaders win on the day.