NAMPA, Idaho -- Brittany Genuardi has been one of NNU's best players this season.

Her best play of her career, though, might have been helping convince freshman star pitcher Jordan Adams to come to Nampa.

The two Washington natives played together in summer ball and when Adams founder herself without a college to attend, Genuardi went to work trying to convince Adams to join her with the Nighthawks program.

"Brit and her dad were really persistent in trying to get me to come down and visit," Adams said. "I stayed with Brit and had so much fun with the team and liked the campus."
The rest, as they say, is history.

Adams and the Nighthawks are putting together one of the best seasons in program history.

They have the chance to rewrite nearly every school record possible, from individual to team marks.

She leads the GNAC in ERA (1.64) and batting average against (.211) and is second in wins (12) and strikeouts (96).

"She brings an intensity to our team that we all feed off of," said Genuardi, who is from Spanaway, Wash. "She is basically a rock. She doesn't change her emotion whether she is pitching good or not doing as well as she wants.

"It doesn't surprise me at all how well she has fit in or how she is dominating the teams we have played."

The Nighthawks (19-18 overall, 10-6 GNAC) host two-time league champion Central Washington in doubleheaders at 2 p.m. Friday and noon Saturday.

Adams' collegiate career started a bit rocky. She lost four of her first six starts, battling injuries and facing nationally-ranked teams.

But she has slowly settled in and now is one of the most feared pitchers in the league.

"The only surprise for me is that she is a freshman doing so well in this conference," NNU coach Rich Wagner said. "But because she is so mentally tough, it is almost not surprising. She is one of the most mentally tough players that I have ever seen."

Last weekend in a battle with Western Oregon, who was in a tie with NNU for second, Adams won both of her starts pitching seven innings in each. She then threw 4 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win in a 7-6 nine-inning affair to help the Nighthawks take three of four.

"Her determination and drive is so awesome," NNU senior catcher Lisa Sylvester said. "As a freshman to come in and just shove and show that she's not afraid of anything … she's really fearless. She just comes out and battles with us. It's incredible.

"A freshman coming into our conference they don't know what kind of hitters they will face. She just does a really good job of hitting her spots. She works so hard and it pays off."

Adams has also been the vocal leader for the Nighthawks this season, something that is not always the case from a freshman.

Watch an NNU game and you are likely to see Adams yelling from the bench, dancing to music and helping get chants going.

"I like to joke around and I like to laugh," she said. "If there is music playing, I'll be the first one to be dancing. (My teammates) were honestly a little shocked at how loud and vocal I was, but they all told me they love the intensity.

"They would rather have someone who is intense and passionate about the game rather than someone who is shy. I think that is something that makes me stand out a little bit, is my intensity."

NNU has never made the playoffs since the program began in 2002. Three years ago they were 9-37 and have never finished above .500.

This year is their chance. They finally have the pitching to go with the league's best offense.

"Central is really good," Adams said. "I know a lot of the girls on Central, but these girls on NNU are just good. I was confident coming in and I'm still confident. I know that we can go far."