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NAMPA, Idaho — Brooke Bonsen dazzled and the offense was nearly unstoppable: Almost a perfect day for the Crusaders.

The Northwest Nazarene softball team made its home debut at Halle Field on Friday and got a stellar outing in the circle from Bonsen, helping the Crusaders debut in style with a 7-1 victory over Eastern Oregon.

The NNU offense kept racking up hits and runs, but came up just a bit short in the nightcap as the Crusaders settled for a split on the day, falling 7-5 to the Mountaineers.

"We came out hitting the ball really well, we knew that our offense was due to come out and score some big runs, so pretty pleased with how the offense was," NNU head softball coach Rich Wagner said. "Just need to do a couple more things right to win two."

Everything went right in the opener as Ali Schauer blasted a three-run double to left-center in the bottom of the first inning, highlighting an early 4-run rally by the Crusaders (5-6 overall).

Lisa Sylvester then doubled home two more in the second, giving Bonsen (2-2) a nice cushion in the circle.

The junior transfer rolled along, just giving up a solo run in the third on back-to-back doubles, as she struck out two and scattered seven hits in the complete-game win.

"Very pleased with her command of the zone," Wagner said of Bonsen.

Schauer and Sylvester led a potent NNU offense, each racking up three hits in the opener, while Lily Paschal and Kylie Orr each added two hits apiece in the win.

It was a complete 180 in the nightcap, though, as the Mountaineers (2-8) jumped in front with three runs in the first and two in the second, and held a 7-0 lead as NNU stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth.

That's when the Crusaders began their comeback charge as a Paschal RBI single got NNU on the board, and a Madalyn Smith RBI double in the fifth made it a 7-2 ballgame.

Then freshman first baseman Orr made it a very interesting contest with one swing, belting a three-run home run over the right-field wall in the bottom of the sixth inning, closing the gap to 7-5.

"At least we put ourselves in a position to win," Wagner said. "I'm really happy with our team for fighting back."

Aided by Orr's blast, the Crusaders managed to bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning, but couldn't complete the comeback.

Sylvester, Smith, Paschal and Cassidy Fifield each had a pair of hits in the nightcap for NNU, which is back in action Saturday when it hosts Eastern Oregon in another doubleheader starting at noon at Halle Field.