NAMPA, Idaho – Allowing just one run on Friday afternoon at Halle Field, host Northwest Nazarene University took both ends of a doubleheader against the Montana State University Billings softball team.
 
The Nighthawks (8-2) ran away with the opener 9-0 in five innings, before picking up an 8-1 win in the second game of the day. The Yellowjackets slipped to 3-7 on the year with the defeats and their losing skid extended to four straight games. "In Game 1 we came out flat, and NNU took advantage," said MSUB head coach Lisa McKinney. "Defensively we played well, but we just needed to string some hits together. We came out with good energy in Game 2 and executed the plan at the plate well, but we got out-hit again. We are looking to make more offensive adjustments tomorrow."
 
Sidney Pollard went 2-for-4 with a double and Morgan Quimby was 2-for-5 with two doubles, to lead the MSUB offense on a day where it recorded eight total hits.
 
NNU leading hitter Brittany Genuardi got on base in all six plate appearances, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs to highlight the doubleheader for the hosts.
 
Game 1 – Northwest Nazarene 9, MSU Billings 0 (5 Innings)
 
The Nighthawks scored in all four of their offensive innings, with a five-run third inning highlighting the run-rule victory. Genuardi hit a two-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the third, giving NNU a 4-0 lead early on. Her second homer of the day kick-started the five-run third inning, with a two-out, two-run double off the bat of Emma Mulligan being the final blow that made it an 8-0 score.
 
The Nighthawks added a final run in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Maia McNicoll, and the Yellowjacket offense had no answer for NNU pitcher Sidney Booth. The sophomore's second shutout of the season included seven strikeouts and no walks, as she scattered three hits and hit one batter in her five innings of work to improve to 4-0 on the season.
 
MSUB starter Julia Qualteri gave up seven runs on seven hits with a strikeout and two walks in 2 1/3 innings of work, and Haley Couch threw the final 1 2/3 innings allowing two runs on three hits.
 
MSUB put a runner in scoring position in the first, third, and fifth innings, but could not find the key hit to plate a run in its second shutout defeat of the season.
 
Game 2 – Northwest Nazarene 8, MSU Billings 1
 
A six-run fourth inning for the Nighthawks proved to be the difference maker in the nightcap, and the Yellowjacket bats were held in check by NNU pitcher Tori Hensley in a complete-game effort.
 
McNicoll drew a walk with the bases loaded in the third inning to give the Nighthawks their first lead of the day, but MSUB starter Jenna Kister limited the damage and stranded the bases loaded.
 
The Yellowjackets got the run back in the top of the fourth, when Allie Hughes led off with a single and eventually came around to score on a wild pitch. The unearned run was the only blemish against Hensley however, who allowed just two baserunners to reach scoring position the rest of the game. Hensley scattered five hits while striking out three and walking one in her seven innings of work.
 
Nicole Zuvela led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, and 11 batters later the Nighthawks had built an insurmountable advantage. Mulligan had a two-run double in the inning, and Booth smashed a two-run homer to center field to highlight NNU's biggest scoring frame of the day.
 
The team-leading fourth home run of the year by Ivy Hommel followed in the fifth inning, as NNU scored its final run of a successful offensive day.
 
Kister allowed seven runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and three walks in her 3 1/3 innings, before giving way to Alyssa Etheridge who had a good showing with one run allowed on four hits in her 2 2/3 innings of work.
 
THE BUZZ: Quimby was tabbed the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…MSUB is now 55-22 all-time against NNU and 25-15 in road games…the Nighthawks have won six in-a-row in the series.
 
NEXT UP: The series wraps up on Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Halle Field. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here.