NAMPA, Idaho – Both games were close throughout, but the Western Oregon University softball team wasn't able to get past Northwest Nazarene on Friday with the Nighthawks winning game one in extra innings, 4-3, and then took the nightcap, 6-3, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.
In the opener, WOU (19-21, 4-10 GNAC) got things going in the second. Sophie Franklin was hit-by-pitch and then stole second. After an out, Maddie Doig singled up the middle to bring in the first run of the game. Following the second out, Logan Carlos delivered a big hit with a two-run homer to left to give the Wolves the 3-0 lead.
Northwest Nazarene (23-15, 11-3 GNAC) answered back with three runs in the third inning to tie the game.
Chelsea Smith and Sidney Booth then went toe-to-toe in the circle over the next several innings with the game remaining tied into extra innings. Smith worked out of a big jam in the eighth as the Nighthawks loaded the bases with one out before a strikeout and fly out ended the inning.
WOU got a leadoff single in the ninth from Erica Soliz, but the pinch-runner was later erased on a caught stealing attempt. In the home half of the inning, a leadoff triple by Booth set the table for NNU before a walk-off single to shallow left-center sent the Nighthawks to the 4-3 victory.
NNU held the 9-3 edge in hits and WOU committed the only three errors in the game. Carlos, Soliz and Doig had the hits for the Wolves and Carlos had a pair of RBI on her home run. Smith went all eight innings in the circle to end up with the hard-luck loss (9-5), allowing four runs (three earned), along with nine strikeouts.
Emma Mulligan, Booth, Tori Hensley and Kellcie Adams all tallied two hits to lead the Nighthawks. Four players drove in a run. In the circle, Booth collected her 11th win (11-8) of the season going all nine innings, coming away with 14 strikeouts.
Game two was another close game until the later innings. The Nighthawks broke through first with a run in the second.
WOU came back to take the lead in the fourth. Kate Ronning opened the inning with a single and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Natalie Willoughby drove in the tying run with a single through the right side to tie the game at one. Soliz then hit a grounder to third that turned into a fielder's choice error on the throw and on the play, Willoughby reached third. After a fielder's choice out marked the second out, Kirah McGlothan walked on four pitches to load the bases. Doig delivered with a clutch single to right to bring in two runs and move WOU out to the 3-1 lead.
It remained that way into the sixth when NNU was able to score four runs on two hits and two errors to regain the lead at 6-3.
Despite a couple of hard-hit balls, WOU wasn't able to get a rally started in the seventh as the Nighthawks took the 6-3 victory in game two.
NNU held the 7-4 edge in hits and there were five errors in the game, four committed by the Wolves. Ronning led WOU with two hits and Doig drove in two runs. In the circle, Reilly Tidwell started and went the first 3.1 innings allowing two runs (one earned). Maddie Mayer ended up with the loss (6-8) going the final 2.2 innings, allowing four runs (one earned).
Nicole Zuvela paced NNU with two hits and Booth drove in two runs. In the circle, Hensley started and went the first 3.2 innings, allowing three runs (one earned) to get the no decision. Gina Skinner tallied the win (4-2) working the final 3.1 innings and allowed just one walk.
WOU and NNU will conclude their four-game series tomorrow (Saturday) with a new start time for the doubleheader at 10 a.m. (Pacific).
