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NAMPA, Idaho — Lily Paschal set the stage, then Kylie Orr provided the dramatic game winner.

That opener the floodgates to the first sweep of a league doubleheader by the Crusaders in three seasons as the Northwest Nazarene softball team topped visiting Concordia 2-1 then 11-2 in five innings on Friday at Halle Field in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.

"Pitching and defense will always give you a chance to win," NNNU head coach Rich Wagner said. "Brooke (Bonsen) and Rylee (Thomas) did a great job throwing quality pitches today. They gave our defense the opportunity to make plays.

"Offensively, we continued to make adjustments and have great at-bats," added Wagner, who already is looking ahead to Saturday's doubleheader rematch with Concordia at noon, "we need to come out tomorrow with the same energy and approach."
 

NNU (10-13 overall, 3-3 GNAC) got the offense going early and took advantage of a miscue by the Cavaliers defense as Lisa Sylvester singled and scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the third inning of the opener.

The Cavaliers (10-13, 3-7) answered by tying it, 1-1, in the top of the fourth inning, but then Paschal and Orr came up with two clutch base hits in the bottom of the sixth.
Paschal led off with a single and stole second, then hustled home on a game-winning hit by Orr.

Just enough for Bonsen (6-6), who struck out two and scattered two hits in the complete-game victory in the circle for NNU.

Concordia answered with an early 1-0 lead in the nightcap after a half inning, but that lead didn't last long.

Riding the momentum of their late winning rally in the opener, Shelbie Martinez singled to right, driving in a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning to ignite the second-game rout.

Orr added a two-run single in the second inning, then a Brittany Genuardi two-run home run highlighted a seven-run rally in the bottom of the fourth by NNU that led to the mercy-rule win.

Abigail Otto and Orr added an RBI double each and Cassidy Fifield doubled home two more in the fourth-inning charge by NNU.

Thomas (3-4) benefitted from all the Crusader offense as she earned the win, striking out two and scattering five hits in the circle.

Paschal led the NNU offense going 2-for-3 in the opener and adding a hit in the nightcap, while Fifield, Orr, Martinez and Otto each had a pair of hits in the second game for the Crusaders.