NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene softball completed the sweep of Western Oregon on Senior Day, winning game one 8-0, and game two 6-1.
The Nighthawks are now 37-8 overall and 20-4 in the GNAC.
Game 1
NNU put four quick runs on the board in the first inning.
Sidney Booth grounded out to the second baseman for an RBI that scored
Emma Mulligan from third and
Emma Mulligan from second because the WOU catcher was not paying attention. Later in the inning,
Keana Bell hit her sixth home run of the year that scored
Emma Bumatay and put the Nighthawks up 4-0.
Two more runs were added by NNU in the second inning.
Jami Obringer reached base and came around to score on a single by
Ava Clark. A few batters later, Booth hit a single that scored
Clarissa Moreno and put NNU up 6-0.
After scoring a run in the fourth inning,
Emma Mulligan came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth with bases loaded and hit a single to give the Nighthawks the win with an 8-0 run rule.
Sidney Booth had three RBIs and pitched all five innings while collecting six strikeouts.
Game 2
The Wolves put up their only run of the day in the first inning.
Jami Obringer came up just short of a making a diving play that allowed a WOU hitter to get a triple and was later scored with a base hit. Obringer then manufactured the Nighthawks first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. After reaching base, Obringer stole second. The catcher's throw went into the outfield past the center fielder and Obringer scored.
The rest of NNU's runs came from a fifth inning rally that was sparked by a double from Obringer. She scored on a fielder's choice that Mulligan reached base on. Just after Mulligan, Moreno hit a single down the right field line to score Clark and Mulligan. The next batter was Booth who hit the Nighthawks' first triple of the season to score Moreno.
Olivia Davies pinch ran for Booth and scored when the next batter,
Abigail Gagnon hit a sac fly to put NNU up 6-1.
Senior
Gina Skinner received her 13
th win of the season. After pitching 6.0 innings, she left the field to an ovation.
Sidney Booth faced one batter in the final inning and struck her out. At this point, seniors Booth and Gagnon also exited the game to an ovation.
Mia Traylor got the final two outs for the Nighthawks.
On Deck
The Nighthawks have a bye week coming up before the beginning of the GNAC Tournament begins in Bellingham, Washington on May 2
nd. With the two wins today and Western Washington falling to Central Washington, the Nighthawks have clinched at least a share of the GNAC regular season title.
