TUCSON, Ariz. – Northwest Nazarene softball enjoyed their time down in the Arizona sun on the first day of the Desert Stinger, defeating MSU Denver 3-1 and Minot State 7-6.
Game 1
NNU got on the board first against MSU Denver in the opener, as
Emma Mulligan led off with a walk and came around to score on a one-out single by
Sidney Booth. One batter later,
Maia McNicoll blasted her first home run of the season to put the Nighthawks up 3-0.
That was all the Nighthawks would muster at the plate, but it was all they would need as Booth spun a gem from the circle, tossing the complete game and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out a career-high 16.
McNicoll finished with two hits to lead the offense.
Game 2
Runs were easy to come by early for both NNU and Minot State in the second game, as each team put five on the board over the first two innings.
Minot State started with three in the top of the first, but NNU came back with two in the bottom of the inning on a Booth RBI single and a McNicoll deep foul out to left that was able to score
Ivy Hommel from third.
In the second, it was MSU's turn to put up two runs, before the Nighthawks tallied a three-run frame with a Mulligan sacrifice fly and a two-run homer from Hommel.
NNU would break the 5-5 tie in the fourth, as Mulligan notched another sacrifice fly and Hommel drove in another run with an RBI double to make it 7-5.
Minot would score one run in the sixth, but NNU held on for the win as Booth entered in the final inning to get the save.
Tori Hensley started for the Nighthawks, allowing four earned runs on four hits through five innings.
Charlotte Forniss tossed an inning and a third with one run allowed on three hits before Booth came in for the final two outs.
Hommel, Booth, and
Abigail Gagnon each had a pair of hits in the game, with both of Hommel's going for extra bases as she led the team with three RBI.
Next Up
The Nighthawks will play three games tomorrow to finish their run at the Desert Stinger, facing Regis, Cal State Dominguez Hills, and Academy of Art.
