Box Score PORTLAND, Ore. – After a bizarre play tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, the Northwest Nazarene University softball team didn't let the moment get them down.

Instead, they went right back to work.

Junior Anna Williams hammered a two-run double up the right-center field gap and Rae Young slammed the door in the bottom half as the Nighthawks advanced to their first GNAC title game Friday with a 4-2 eight-inning win against Simon Fraser.

"We were just like, 'You aren't going to beat us,'" Williams said. "We aren't going to quit. I was just thinking to myself that (the pitcher) wasn't going to beat me. I got this. This is what I live for and that is what it all came down to."

Williams drove in all four runs, crushing a two-run home run earlier in the game. Rylee Thomas pitched into the eighth inning, allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts to earn the victory. Young came on and recorded the final three outs with the tying runs on base to earn the save.

"I yelled so loud at that moment (on Anna's double)," Thomas said. "We just didn't let it bother us. We can't control the uncontrollable. It honestly fired us up and made everyone more loud and more into the game."

NNU (30-21) will face a team to be determined at 1 p.m. MDT on Saturday with a berth to the NCAA Division II national tournament at stake.

"It is such a great feeling," Young said. "I'm really glad we are here – especially for our seniors. Four years of having to struggle and I'm glad we are finally able to get them here.

"Plus, I'm glad they are missing graduation for something like this."

Trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Lily Paschal singled to shortstop and Williams crushed a towering home run to left field to put the Nighthawks ahead 2-1.

The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh when Simon Fraser had the first two reach. A sacrifice bunt moved them to second and third and a walk loaded the bases.

Hannah Boulanger then popped out on an infield fly and then a uniquely softball play happened, as Simon Fraser basically stole home because the pitcher was not in the circle yet.

"I just told the team that we need to get our momentum back," NNU coach Rich Wagner said. "It did not surprise me one bit that we scored right away. You put a challenge in front of them and they seem to respond right away."

Abigail Otto led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a fielder's choice by Anna Olson. Ivy Hommel then bunted them to second and third and after Lily Paschal grounded out to third, it set the stage for Williams.

"It is our entire team that got us here," Williams said. "We are here in this moment because everyone in the dugout. It is just awesome."

It wasn't over yet, though.

Young came on in relief and after striking out the leadoff hitter, gave up a walk. She then induced a groundout and a pop out and just like that the Nighthawks dream season was one step closer to the national tournament.

"It was a little nerve-wracking," Young said, "but I was warming up the entire game and I was ready to come in. I had a good mentality and I wanted to shove for my team.

"It was a good team effort and the belief that we were going to do it, helped us to do it."

Williams finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Otto was 2-for-4 with a run scored, Paschal was 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Olson, Kylie Orr, Brittany Genuardi and Shelbie Martinez all had hits as well.