Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

BRISBANE, Calif. — The Crusaders grew a little bit, and also showed their determination.

The Northwest Nazarene softball team battled hard on the road at the Academy of Art, falling 6-5 in the opener of a nonconference doubleheader on Saturday before rallying in the top of the seventh for a 5-4 win in the nightcap.

"This young team is learning more and more every game," NNU head softball coach Rich Wagner said. "A few mental miscues cost us the first game, but they were great learning moments for the rest of the season.

"I think game two shows how talented this team is and how badly they want to win."

In the opener, a two-run double by Ali Shauer gave the Crusaders (4-5 overall) a 2-1 edge in the top of the fourth, but a four-run rally aided by three NNU errors put the Academy of Art in control.

Shelbie Martinez and Kiahna Brown each had an RBI in the fifth, trimming the lead to 5-4, but a run in the bottom of the sixth for the Urban Knights (2-5-1) proved decisive.

The Crusaders got a Kylie Orr RBI single in the seventh, but stranded the tying run at third.

NNU made sure the game-winner wasn't stranded in the nightcap, though, thanks to hot-hitting Cassidy Fifield.

Fifield, who saw her seven-game hit streak snapped in the opener, got her first hit of the day in style, blasting a two-run homer to left in the top of the seventh to give the Crusaders the win.

The Crusaders rallied all game long in the nightcap as a Lisa Sylvester RBI single in the fifth followed by back-to-back solo homers from Orr and Brown in the sixth, put NNU on top, 3-2.

The Urban Knights plated two in the bottom of the sixth, setting the stage for Fifield's game-winning blast.

Brooke Bonsen (1-2) struck out six and scattered five hits to win the nightcap, while Lily Paschal had four hits in the twinbill, and Orr and Brown each added three hits and two RBIs apiece on the day for NNU.

The Crusaders now return home and get a weekend off before hosting back-to-back doubleheaders against Eastern Oregon on Feb. 26-27, the home openers for NNU.