Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NAMPA, Idaho – The Northwest Nazarene University softball team proved it belonged Friday.

The Nighthawks may not have gotten the two wins they were hoping for against Central Washington, but beating the two-time defending GNAC champions once was still a necessary step forward.

"It shows us that we are capable of being No. 1," said shortstop Anna Olson, "and doing good in conference."

Olson was a key contributor to NNU's 3-2 win in the opener. The Wildcats (25-10 overall, 13-5 GNAC) won the nightcap 6-4 and the two teams meet in another doubleheader at 12 p.m. Saturday.

In the opener, Olson delivered a two-out single to right center to score pinch runner Lauren Bassett with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

"I was just wanting to score her," Olson said. "I knew she was throwing me outside and once I saw the outside pitch, I just went with it."

The teams traded runs in the first and the fifth, with Brittany Genuardi driving in the first Nighthawks (20-19, 11-7) run on a groundout and Anna Williams delivering a run-scoring single in the fifth.

"When everybody contributes it makes it that much more exciting," Williams said. "It just shows that all of the hard work is paying off."

Jordan Adams was again dominant in the circle, striking out seven and allowing no earned runs to score. She lowered her GNAC-leading ERA to 1.53 on the season.

Cassidy Fifield, Williams, Olson and Shelbie Martinez all had two hits to lead the offense.

In the nightcap, the Wildcats jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, but the Nighthawks refused to give up.

In the bottom of the fourth, Kylie Orr walked, Genuardi singled and they moved up on a wild pitch. After a fly out, Shelbie Martinez singled in a run and Lisa Sylvester was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Olson flied out, but pinch-hitter Ivy Hommel delivered a single to make it 5-3.

Williams then blasted a solo homer in the fifth to pull NNU within 5-4. After giving up a run in the top of the seventh, the Nighthawks had runners on first and second with two outs but Abigail Otto's liner was snagged by the Central pitcher to end the game.

Fifield had a double, while Williams, Orr, Martinez and Hommel all drove in runs. Rae Young took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings pitched.

Despite the loss, the Nighthawks remain in second place in the league standings.

"We have to come back tomorrow and get some revenge, you could say," Williams said. "We have to take advantage of more opportunities and make sure we finish."