NAMPA, Idaho – Dropping both ends of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference softball doubleheader on Thursday at Halle Field, the Montana State University Billings softball team was twice defeated by host Northwest Nazarene University.
 
The Nighthawks (11-10, 2-0 GNAC) took the first game 6-3 before doubling down with a 4-1 win in a pair of tightly contested affairs. The Yellowjackets (6-11, 0-2 GNAC) slipped to 6-11 on the season with the losses, and began the conference portion of their schedule 0-2.
 
Marin Penney hit her team-leading fifth home run of the season, while leading the Yellowjacket offense with a line of 3-for-6 in the doubleheader.
 
NNU's Maia McNicoll was 4-for-6 with five RBIs and Tori Hensley went 4-for-7 with three RBIs to lead the hosts.
 
Game 1 – Northwest Nazarene 6, MSU Billings 3
 
A four-run third inning proved to be the difference in the opening game of the series, as NNU turned a 2-1 deficit into a lead that they would never relinquish. Hensley led off the big frame with a single, and a two-run home run off the bat of McNicoll followed by a two-run double by Charlotte Forniss accounted for the scoring in the inning.
 
The Yellowjackets had pulled ahead 2-1 in the top of the frame, when Payton Meyer delivered an RBI-single and Lauren Blaschak followed with an RBI-double. The lead was short-lived however, and the 'Jackets managed just one run the rest of the game.
 
MSUB's final run came on a solo home run by Penney in the top of the sixth, as she cleared the fence in right center to pull the 'Jackets within two. Hensley plated the final run in the bottom of the frame however, and the 'Jackets failed to get the tying run to the plate in the seventh.
 
Teagan Seeton was the lone 'Jacket with multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-3 and scoring a run. MSUB totaled five hits in Game 1 of the series, while striking out 10 times and leaving three runners on base.
 
MSUB starter Alyssa Etheridge tossed all six frames, while striking out seven, walking two, and allowing six runs on nine hits. Her counterpart and two-time reigning GNAC Pitcher of the Year Sidney Booth went the distance as well, striking out 10 while walking none and allowing three runs on five hits.
 
Hensley and Madison Felter were the two Nighthawks with multiple hits in the game, and NNU stranded six runners on base.
 
Game 2 – Northwest Nazarene 4, MSU Billings 1
 
After driving in a pair of runs in the opener, Hensley shined this time in the circle for the hosts. The senior right-hander allowed one run on five hits, with four strikeouts and two walks in her seven innings of work to earn her fifth victory of the season.
 
The combination of Julia Qualteri and Shelby Martin kept the Nighthawk offense at bay, but the Yellowjackets couldn't find a breakthrough against Hensley. Qualteri struck out two and walked two while limiting NNU to one run on five hits in her five innings of work. Martin allowed three runs on four hits with a strikeout and a walk.
 
NNU again used a big inning to seal the victory, plating all that it needed with a three-run third inning. McNicoll did all the damage with one swing of the bat, clearing the fence in right-center after back-to-back singles by Hensley and Booth to set the table. NNU tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, when Hensley punched a two-out, RBI-double into right-center that scored Jami Obringer.
 
The Yellowjackets' lone run of the day came in the top of the fourth inning, which started with a leadoff triple off the bat of Penney. Martin followed with an RBI-ground out, but that was all the offense the 'Jackets could manage against Hensley in the circle.
 
Penney finished 2-for-3 adding a double to her stat line, while Jazlyn Kalehuawehe was 2-for-3 in Game 2 as well. The 'Jackets tallied five hits, while leaving five runners on base.
 
In addition to McNicoll going 3-for-3, Hensley was 2-for-4 as that duo accounted for five of NNU's nine hits in the game. The Nighthawks stranded eight runners, while striking out three times and drawing three walks.
 
THE BUZZ: Penney was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…the home run was the 21st of her four-year career with the 'Jackets, moving her into a tie for No. 10 on the career home run list…MSUB is now 56-33 all-time against NNU and is 25-15 in road games against the Nighthawks.
 
UP NEXT: The series concludes on Friday, with another doubleheader scheduled for 1 PM. Live video will be available here and live statistics will be available here.