Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NAMPA, Idaho — Pitcher Abigail Watkins set the tone and her teammates followed suit, leaving no doubt in pounding out a convincing first collegiate victory for the Crusader southpaw.

Watkins, a sophomore who gobbled up innings as a true freshman last season yet was still in search of her first victory in the circle, earned that debut win with a four-hit shutout for Northwest Nazarene in a 14-0, mercy-rule victory over Simon Fraser on Saturday in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader at Halle Field on the NNU campus.

That after a close-miss for the Crusaders in the opener as NNU spilt the day, falling 3-2 to the Clan in the opener.

"Abigail Watkins set the tone in the circle," NNU head softball coach Rich Wagner said. "She commanded the zone and let our defense play.

"In between games we talked about taking command of our at-bats and I think that helped us make the adjustment offensively," NNU's coach added as the Crusaders racked up 14 runs on 14 hits in the nightcap after plating just two runs on seven base knocks in the opener. "Game 2 is the offense we expect to show up every game."

After an atypical three-up, three-down top of the first — an inning that saw the Clan get a lead-off single before an inning-ending double play — the Crusader offense broke the game open quickly.

Lisa Sylvester singled home the game winner, plating Lily Paschal who reached on a lead-off infield single in the bottom of the first inning.
 

Brooke Bonsen then added an RBI single, Kiahna Brown had an RBI groundout, then Ali Schauer blasted a two-run home to left for a 5-0 NNU lead after just one inning.

Plenty of offense for Watkins (1-0) who struck out two and faced just three batters over the minimum in the five-inning ballgame.

A mercy-rule win thanks to a Crusader offense that never stopped clicking as the Crusaders (13-14 overall, 7-7 GNAC) plated two more in the second, rallied for five runs in the third and added two more in the bottom of the fourth inning in the lopsided win.

Paschal, Cassidy Fifield, Sylvester, Schauer and Abigail Otto all had two hits apiece in the win, while Schauer adding three RBIs and Sylvester drove in two.

A fantastic finish to a day that started with a disappointing setback in the opener as the Clan jumped in front 3-0 before NNU made a charge, trying to rally for the win.

"If we get in the batter's box with a plan we have a real good chance to win," Wagner said of the opener. "Unfortunately, we let their pitchers command our at-bats in game one."

An Otto solo homer to center got the Crusaders on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning, then Kylie Orr doubled and scored on the back end of a double steal in the sixth, closing the gap to a solo run.

But the comeback came up short in the bottom of the seventh as Simon Fraser reliever Tori Belton retired NNU in order in its final at-bat, preserving the win.

Bonsen struck out one and allowed just two earned runs in 5 1-3 innings in the loss in the circle, giving the Crusaders a chance to rally, though NNU came up short.

"Brooke kept us close and that gave us a chance in the end," Wagner said of the opener. 

Sylvester and Otto each had a pair of hits in the opener for NNU, which now gets a week off from GNAC play as the Crusaders head to Turlock, California, for five games in the Tournament of Champions hosted by Stanislaus State on Friday and Saturday.