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NAMPA, Idaho — When it clicked for the Crusaders, there was no holding back.

Trailing visiting Montana State Billings by three runs late in game one of a doubleheader at Halle Field on the NNU campus, the offense finally clicked into high gear and the Northwest Nazarene softball team cruised.

A pair of five-run rallies lifted NNU to a 10-5 comeback win in the opener, then a tireless 11-run onslaught led the Crusaders to a 14-5 victory in five innings, and a crucial twinbill sweep of the Yellowjackets in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Saturday.

"It feels really good," NNU head coach Rich Wagner said as the two wins gave the Crusaders a 23-23 overall mark on the season, matching the program's all-time single season high in victories. "We did a god job today of coming back after a tough loss yesterday. The girls never quit and it's fun, it's fun to coach this group."

After a split on Friday that saw the Yellowjackets take the finale with a last at-bat rally, NNU (23-23 overall, 13-11 GNAC) once again found itself in comeback mode as MSU Billings got a run in the top of the third inning and two more in the top of the fourth.
 

Meanwhile, the Crusaders offense kept misfiring, stranding two runners on base in each of the first three frames, and seeing one thrown out at the plate.

Then it all changed in the bottom of the fifth when Cassidy Fifield walked, stole second and scored on an error.

Kylie Orr then added an RBI double and Brittany Genuardi singled her home, igniting the NNU offense, which never let up from there.

Lisa Sylvester added an RBI sacrifice fly and Anna Olson had an RBI single, putting NNU up 5-3.

One inning later the Crusader attack went back to work as Genuardi, Shelbie Martinez, Sylvester and Abigail Otto each had an RBI in another five-run rally for a commanding 10-3 lead.

"They did a great job, they made a quick adjustment in the fifth inning and it was a lot of barrel after that, pretty much all day," Wagner said.

"I think that hitting's contagious, when somebody wants to hit, everybody hits," NNU's skipper added.
 

Providing plenty of offense for pitchers Brooke Bonsen (12-10), who struck out five batters for the win, and reliever Alli Byron, who worked 1 1-3 innings strong relief for the Crusaders.

NNU's offensive contagion caught on early in the second game, erasing a 1-0 lead for the Yellowjackets who couldn't get out of an 11-run onslaught in the bottom of the third.

This time, Otto got things started with a single and a stolen base, then scored on a Fifield RBI double.

With the game tied, 1-1, NNU unleashed as Orr had a pair of RBIs, Fifield added another Lily Paschal, Lauren Bassett and Otto each drove in a run, and Genuardi plated four, including a three-run home run to right-field.

Fifield then added to the lead, blasting a three-run homer of her own to left-center in the bottom of the fourth inning for a commanding 14-1 lead for NNU, and pitcher Rylee Thomas.

Thomas (9-8) got the complete-game victory, striking out three for NNU, which closes out the regular season hosting the Western Washington Vikings next weekend in doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday at Halle Field.

A huge weekend for NNU, which looks to do more than set a new record for wins in a season. Currently tied for third place in the GNAC, the Crusaders are poised to win the program's first-ever playoff berth and a spot in the four-team GNAC Tournament in Lacey, Wash., May 4-6.

NNU is battling the Vikings, as both teams are tied for third, and both look to fend off the Western Oregon Wolves, who are fifth and one game back. Both the Vikings and Wolves have eight games remaining compared to NNU's four.

Orr and Olson led NNU's offense, each going 4-for-6 in Saturday's twinbill, while the Crusaders also got three hits and six RBIs from Genuardi, and three hits each from Sylvester, Bassett and Fifield in the sweep.