BILLINGS, Mont. – Claiming both ends of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Avitus Group Stadium, No. 25 Northwest Nazarene beat the host Montana State University Billings softball team.
 
The Nighthawks held off an MSUB rally for an 8-4 win in Friday's opener, before storming to a 10-0 shutout victory in six innings in the nightcap. GNAC-leading NNU improved to 27-9 overall and 10-4 in conference play with the victories, and can clinch the regular season title on Saturday with one win and a loss by second-place Central Washington.
 
MSUB was eliminated from postseason contention with Friday's losses, as the Yellowjackets fell to 9-25 overall and 5-13 in conference play with the defeats. Brittanee Fisher hit the 31st home run of her career and Marin Penney hit her sixth of the season in Game 1 to highlight the day for the 'Jackets offensively.
 
Game 1 – Northwest Nazarene 8, MSU Billings 4
 
The Nighthawks scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back, collecting the win despite a spirited comeback push by the Yellowjackets late.
 
Maia McNicoll, Tori Hensley, and Madison Strickler all had RBIs in the opening inning, before Ivy Hommel homered in the fourth and had an RBI-single in the fifth to make it a 6-0 game.
 
MSUB got on the board in the sixth inning, when Morgan Quimby poked an RBI-single to left field to bring home Brie Frazier. Fisher followed with a two-run homer to left, and gave the 'Jackets hope down 6-3.
 
Hommel responded with her second home run in the seventh, before the 'Jackets got one more back on Penney's solo shot in the bottom of the frame.
 
NNU's Sidney Booth picked up her GNAC-leading 13th win of the year, striking out nine and walking none while giving up four runs on six hits in the complete-game effort.
 
Alyssa Etheridge allowed six runs on 13 hits in 4 1/3 innings of work, and Jenna Kister gave up two runs on five hits in the final 2 2/3 innings of the game.
 
Game 2 – Northwest Nazarene 10, MSU Billings 0 (6 Innings)
 
Hensley threw a one-hitter, striking out six and allowing just one baserunner while going the distance. Frazier led off the game with a single to left field, before Hensley retired 17 hitters in-a-row as she narrowly missed out on a no-hitter.
 
The Nighthawks had another three-run first inning, and tacked on enough runs late to end the contest after the sixth inning. Britney Genuardi had a two-run double in the first, but MSUB starter Julia Qualteri settled in and put up three straight zeros over the next three frames to keep the game close.
 
The Nighthawks got to the right-hander in the fifth, scoring four times highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Madison Felter. McNicoll and Nicole Zuvela each had RBIs in a three-run seventh inning as the Nighthawks sealed the doubleheader sweep.
 
THE BUZZ: Fisher was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Fisher assumed sole possession of the No. 3 spot in the MSUB record books for career home runs…she tied her career single-season high with her 11th of the year.
 
NEXT UP: The 2021 season concludes on Saturday with a doubleheader scheduled for 11 a.m. Live coverage will be available online here.