IRVINE, Calif. – Northwest Nazarene softball lives to fight another day. The Nighthawks defeated Biola 3-2 in another one-run contest at the NCAA West Regional to move to the pod final against Concordia on Saturday.
NNU and CUI will square off at noon Pacific, with the Nighthawks needing to win twice to advance to Super Regionals after the Golden Eagles edged out NNU earlier on Friday. CUI needs just one win to advance to the next round.
All three of NNU's games at the regional have been decided by one run – the 1-0 win over Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2 loss to Concordia, and now the 3-2 victory over Biola.
With the victory, the Nighthawks improve to 38-16 on the season, increasing their program-record win total and setting a new bar for farthest that the softball program has advanced in the NCAA tournament.
Biola struck first, scoring a run on an RBI groundout in the bottom of the third. NNU would manage just one hit over the first four innings, trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the fifth.
The rally begun there, though, as
Jami Obringer led off the frame with a walk, stole second, and came home to score on
Clarissa Moreno's double into the gap in right center.
Sidney Booth added an RBI single and
Madison Felter brought home a run with a sacrifice fly to put NNU on top 3-1.
Sidney Booth started for the Nighthawks and pitched well yet again, going 6.2 innings and allowing just one earned run while striking out eight for her 20
th victory of the season.
Biola tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, scoring a run and putting the potential winning run on base, but
Tori Hensley came in and shut the door by getting the final out on a popout to Moreno at short.
Booth also went 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI. Moreno led the Nighthawks offensively, going 3 for 3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
