NAMPA, Idaho – With the first conference title hanging in the balance Saturday for the Northwest Nazarene University softball team and ace pitcher Jordan Adams on the ropes, the Nighthawks didn't get nervous.

Instead, they turned to one of the key pieces of their team – pitching depth.

Sophomore Rae Young came into the game and pitched five innings, allowing two runs as NNU defeated Montana State Billings to win a share of the GNAC regular-season title.

That depth has been important all season long.

"In high school, I was the only pitcher, so if I got in a jam I have nobody to help," Rylee Thomas said. "Here, it is really nice to have someone behind me that will come in and pick me up if I run into something like that."
While Adams has garnered the headlines this season as the ace of the staff, the work of NNU's other pitchers has been equally as important. Young, Thomas, Jackie Vargas and Alli Byron have all contributed throughout the year.

"I have never been on a team with so many pitchers," Vargas said. "It definitely helps if there are injuries or there are times we play a lot in one day. It helps to have a lot of resources."

Vargas has mainly filled a closer-type role, coming in to offer opposing teams a different look. Young and Thomas have traded time as the No. 2 starter and Byron makes her mark with important work in the bullpen and at practice during the week.

"There is no stat line for what happens during the week at practice," NNU coach Rich Wagner said. "They are working super hard as a pitching staff to get better. Every one of them has struggled throughout the year and every one of them has come back and had games or multiple games where they were great."

Each of the pitchers grew up being the aces of their high school or club teams, so coming to college and being relegated to a backup role can be a difficult adjustment.

But it is a necessary one and one that has the Nighthawks in their first postseason tournament in program history.

"Coming from high school, I pitched a lot and here I'm not pitching as much," Vargas said. "But I accept my role as a closer. It is a hard role because I get put into situations that are really hard – bases loaded, no outs, two outs – I just try to do the best I can do and prepare myself mentally."

The team also plays inter-squad games every week, giving the pitchers the opportunity to face the conference's best hitting team.

"Even if we don't necessarily play," Byron said, "we pitch in practice and help with the batters."

And when they are asked to pitch, they are always ready. Just like Young on Saturday when her team needed her the most.

"Throughout the entire year, it is a team effort," Young said. "It is nice to have other pitchers go out there and push me to do my best and help the team."