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LAS VEGAS — Snow-stunted to start the season, the Crusaders are quickly finding their stride on the diamond.

The Northwest Nazarene softball team scored its first win of the year and put up a fight all day, going 1-2 on Friday in the Desert Stinger Classic hosted by Montana State Billings in Las Vegas.

After two tough season-opening losses in a doubleheader on Thursday at Dixie State — which was the first time since the fall NNU had been on an actually field not two-feet deep with snow — the Crusaders battled to start their day Friday only to see Hawaii Hilo steal a 9-6 win in the Vulcans' final at-bat in extra innings.

NNU then fell 10-1 in five innings to Concordia-Irvine, but quickly regroup and slugged its way to win No. 1 of the season, a 13-6 victory over New Mexico Highlands to finish the day.

 

The Crusaders (1-4 overall) will look to start a win streak now as they close out a busy road weekend against Minot State at 12:30 p.m. (Mountain time) and Cal State San Bernardino at 5:30 p.m. (Mountain time).

In the day's first contest, Kylie Orr hit her third home run of the season, a 3-run shot, and Brittany Genuardi hit her first collegiate homer to give NNU a 4-1 lead in the third inning.

The Vulcans tied it with three in the fifth to force extra innings, then both teams plated a run in the eighth before a 4-run rally by Hawaii Hilo in the top of the ninth provided the difference.

Madalyn Smith and Abigail Otto each added an RBI for NNU in the setback.

In the second game of the day, Orr and Genuardi each had a hit — all the Crusaders' offense — as NNU scored on a wild pitch in the first before the Eagles rallied for the win.

The Crusaders then capped the day with more home runs as Otto hit a 3-run shot in the top of the second inning to put NNU up 3-1, then Cassidy Fifield hit her first of the season, a solo homer that gave NNU a 6-2 lead.
 

A 3-run double by Anna Olson helped the Crusaders stretch their lead to 13-5 in the sixth inning en route to the victory

Orr added a 2-for-4 game at the dish in the nightcap and was 6-for-12 with 4 RBIs on the day, while Shelbie Martinez was 2-for-3 and Genuardi was 2-for-5 against New Mexico Highlands, and Otto went 3-for-4. Martinez and Otto each added 3 RBIs apiece in the victory.

Brooke Bonsen earned the win in the circle, striking out three in five innings work.