BILLINGS, Mont. – Northwest Nazarene softball got back on the right track on Friday with a doubleheader sweep of Montana State Billings, 8-3 and 6-1.
The Nighthawks improve to 19-15 on the year and 7-3 in GNAC play, while MSUB falls to 11-26 overall and 4-10 in conference action.
Game One
The Yellowjackets got on the board first with a solo homer in the bottom of the first inning. The Nighthawks would plate four in the third to go up 4-1.
Sidney Booth notched an RBI single and
Maia McNicoll followed that with a two-run home run, before
Charlotte Forniss made it back-to-back bombs.
MSUB got another solo home run in the bottom of the third to cut the NNU lead to two, but the Nighthawks went back-to-back again in the fifth as Booth launched a two-run shot and McNicoll followed with a solo homer for her second of the game to go up 7-2.
The Yellowjackets put one more over the fence in the sixth, but McNicoll notched her fourth RBI of the game with a double in the top of the seventh to send NNU to the 8-3 victory.
Booth pitched all seven innings, earning her 10
th win of the season while striking out 10. She also finished 2-3 from the plate with three RBIs, while McNicoll was 3-4 with four RBIs. The duo combined to drive in seven of NNU's eight runs.
Game Two
NNU would score at least one run in each of the first four innings of game two, starting with
Ivy Hommel scoring on an error in the top of the first.
Abigail Gagnon then launched a solo homer in the second, before Hommel did the same in the third to make it 2-0.
The Nighthawks put up a three-spot in the fourth, as
Emilie Hernandez drove in a run with an RBI single and Hommel then notched two RBIs with a with a single to right.
MSUB picked up a run in the bottom of the fourth, but that was all the home team would get as NNU took the 6-1 victory.
Tori Hensley went all seven innings, only allowing one run and one hit while striking out five and not issuing a walk. Hommel finished the game 2-3 with three RBIs and a walk.
Next Up
The Nighthawks and Yellowjackets will square off for two more games tomorrow, with first pitch of game one scheduled for noon.
