BRISBANE, Calif. - Northwest Nazarene softball mounted a pair of late-inning comebacks against Academy of Art on Wednesday, pulling out a 5-4 win in game one but eventually surrendering a 6-5 defeat in game two.

The Nighthawks, receiving votes in the NFCA poll for three-straight weeks, move to 19-7 on the season.

NNU will continue its swing through the PacWest with games against Dominican and Concordia Irvine this Friday and Saturday in San Rafael.

Game One: NNU 5, ART U 4

The Nighthawks did not get much going through the first five innings, trailing 2-0 entering the sixth. NNU would not be shut out, however, tying the score with one swing in the top of the sixth on a Brittany Genuardi two-RBI double.

The Knights took the lead right back in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs to lead 4-2. NNU had another comeback in them, though, as Madison Strickler scored off a throwing error by Art U's shortstop to cut the deficit to one, before Genuardi came through in the clutch with a one-out, two-RBI single to take the lead.

Gina Skinner, who took over for Sidney Booth in the circle with one out in the sixth, earned the win after keeping the Knights off the board in the bottom of the seventh. Skinner would go 1.2 innings and not allow a hit, with the only baserunner coming via a walk. Booth went 5.1 innings in the start, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out seven.

Academy of Art's pitchers had no answer for Genuardi, who went a perfect 3-3 with four of NNU's five RBI in the game. Emma Mulligan was also 2-4 in the contest with two runs scored.

Game Two: ART U 6, NNU 5

NNU struggled to get on the board again in game two, not scoring throughout the first six innings as the Knights took a 3-0 lead into the seventh. The Nighthawk rally was in full effect in the top of that frame, however, as NNU scored five runs on a fielder's choice from Abigail Gagnon that scored Maia McNicoll, a two-RBI double from Mulligan, and a two-RBI single from Booth.

The Nighthawks could not hold on to the lead, however, surrendering three runs in the bottom of the inning as Academy of Art got a two-out RBI single to walk it off.

Tori Hensley started for NNU and went 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on three hits. Jackie Vargas pitched an inning and a third without allowing a run, before Skinner came back in for her second-straight relief appearance to begin the seventh and wasn't able to put the game away for the Nighthawks.

Mulligan, McNicoll, and Ivy Hommel each had two hits for NNU.