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NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusader softball team will take it, despite coming oh so tantalizingly close to a very good day.

Northwest Nazarene backed up the pitching talents of Brooke Bonsen for a 6-2 win to start the day Friday, then came within two outs of completing a potential comeback only to see visiting Montana State Billings rallied to take the nightcap of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference doubleheader, 12-6, at Halle Field on the NNU campus.

"Splitting every day, you can't feel disappointed about that, but it'd be nice to get two," NNU head coach Rich Wagner said.

"We've got to come out tomorrow and take care of business," NNU's skipper added as the two team's meet again for another twinbill at Halle Field with first pitch at noon. "Our girls are excited and ready."

Much like they were Friday, as the Crusaders charged out of the gate powered by a three-run double with two outs from Cassidy Fifield.

Fifield's clutch base hit emptied the loaded bases and gave Bonsen (11-10) what proved to be a commanding 3-0 lead after two innings.

Bonsen, who earlier in the day was named the winner of the Hopkins-Humphrey Female Athlete Award given to NNU's top all-around senior women athlete, took over as she struck out seven and allowed just one earned run in the complete-game victory.
 

"She's just a great person and a great competitor, and that's just a great way to start every day," Wagner said of the Crusaders' game-one starter.

With their pitcher well in control, the Crusaders went ahead and made things easy on her with another three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth, scoring all three runs with two outs.

"Those clutch hits, those game-winning moments, there's about five or six of them every game and you've got to win them," Wagner said.

Which NNU (21-23 overall, 11-11 GNAC) did, cruising to the opening victory.

And in the nightcap, NNU tried to win those moments, again, as the Crusaders fell behind 5-1 before making determined charge after charge.

Lily Paschal sparked a three-run rally with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth, and Brittany Genuardi and Shelbie Martinez each had an RBI single in a two-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning that tied the game, 6-6.

With NNU hoping for the chance at a walk-off victory in the bottom of the seventh, instead, the Yellowjackets responded with their most prolific at-bat of the day.

Myrissa Prince sparked the rally with a solo home run, then with two outs, five more Yellowjackets (15-28, 9-13) trotted across the plate.

"It's a hitting conference and you've got to hit," Wagner said. "Anybody's bats can get hot for an inning and that's what happens; MSU's bats got hot for an inning." 

Leaving the Crusaders just shy of a chance at the comeback win, and a sweep on the day.

As for NNU's offense, Orr swing the hot bat going 4-for-9 with four RBIs on the day, while Martinez and Lisa Sylvester each had three hits in the twinbill, and Genuardi, Anna Olson and Paschal each added a hit apiece in each ballgame for the Crusaders.