NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene softball kept their strong conference season going on Friday with a sweep of Western Washington, winning both games by a 3-2 score.
The Nighthawks improve to 21-13 on the season and 9-1 in GNAC play.
Game 1
Despite getting five runners on base in the first two innings, the Nighthawks did not find the scoreboard until the third. The first run of the game came in a big way, though, as
Maia McNicoll blasted a solo homer to deep center field to make it 1-0. The bomb was McNicoll's 35
th of her career, a new NNU record that breaks the mark set by current assistant coach
Brittany Genuardi.
McNicoll came through again in the bottom of the sixth, adding an RBI single to score
Tori Hensley from second. That run proved important, as Western Washington responded with two in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 2-2.
The Nighthawks would rally in the bottom of the frame, however, starting with
Emma Bumatay drawing a two-out, pinch-hit walk.
Clarissa Moreno then notched an infield single, followed by a walk to Hensley to load the bases.
Sidney Booth came through with the game-winning RBI, drawing a second-straight walk to bring home
Jami Obringer, who had pinch-ran for Bumatay.
Booth also excelled in the circle, allowing just two runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out six in a complete-game victory. Moreno, Hensley, McNicoll, and
Madison Felter all had two hits in the game for the Nighthawks.
Game 2
NNU went down early, as WWU notched two runs on three hits in the top of the first.
It would not take long for the Nighthawks to tie the game and then take the lead, however, as
Charlotte Forniss recorded an RBI double in the second, Hensley an RBI double in the third, and Moreno an RBI single in the fourth.
Hensley started for NNU and would not allow another run after the opening inning, going the distance with four strikeouts for her ninth win of the season. Moreno had two of NNU's five hits in the contest.
Next Up
NNU has two more games against the Vikings on Saturday, with first pitch of game one of the doubleheader set to begin at noon.
