NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene softball swept a huge doubleheader on Friday against Western Washington, winning by scores of 4-3 (10 innings) and 7-0.
 
With the wins, NNU improves to 24-8 on the year and 7-3 in GNAC play, taking over first place in the conference standings. WWU was in first heading into the weekend, but with the two losses the Vikings fall to third at 8-6, while Central Washington climbs to second at 5-3.
 
The Nighthawks and Vikings will close out the series with another doubleheader tomorrow.
 
Game One: NNU 4, WWU 3 (10 innings)
 
The first game began as a classic pitcher's duel between the top two hurlers in the GNAC. Neither NNU's Sidney Booth or WWU's Anna Kasner allowed a run through the first four and a half innings, with each team only managing one hit apiece.
 
The Nighthawks finally broke through in the bottom of fifth as Maia McNicoll launched her ninth homer of the season, a solo shot to left. NNU added to their lead in the sixth, as Brittany Genuardi drilled a line drive over the fence in dead center, scoring Hommel, to make it 3-0.
 
Booth wasn't able to finish the complete game, though, as the Vikings rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to stay alive. NNU got a runner on second in the bottom of the inning but couldn't score, sending the game to extras.
 
After a 1-2-3 top of the eighth from Jackie Vargas in relief, NNU had the game won in the bottom of the eighth after Ivy Hommel tripled and came home on a Booth sacrifice fly, but Booth was called out for not officially re-entering the game and the run did not count.
 
Finally, the Nighthawks were able to come through in the bottom of the 10th. Madison Strickler started the frame on second due to the tiebreaker rule, and promptly advance to third on a wild pitch. Rilyn Cassaretto then came in to pinch-hit and placed a great bunt down the third-base line. Strickler charged towards home to try to score, and WWU's third baseman came flying in to glove the ball, but her throw home sailed wide of the catcher and allowed Strickler to slide in safely for the winning run.
 
Booth came back in to pitch the ninth and 10th innings, earning the win and improving to 11-2 on the season after throwing a total of 8.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out eight. Vargas entered during the trouble in the seventh and retired all four batters she faced. Kasner went seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts, before giving way to Kira Doan for the final 2+ frames.
 
Game Two: NNU 7, WWU 0
 
While the first game may have been billed as the ultimate pitching duel, Tori Hensley had the best day of anyone in the circle, completely shutting down the Vikings in game two to improve to 6-2 on the year. She tossed all seven innings, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out six on 100 pitches.
 
McNicoll had some more fireworks in store, hitting her second homer of the day to give NNU the lead in the third inning. This bomb was of the three-run variety, scoring both Booth and Genuardi to make it 3-0. Booth added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, before recording two more RBI with a single in the sixth. One batter later, McNicoll closed out the scoring with an RBI single up the middle to score Booth.
 
McNicoll was 2-4 with four RBI in game two to make it 4-8 with five total runs driven in on the day. Emma Mulligan and Abigail Gagnon also notched a pair of hits in the second contest.