Friday, May 7, 2021

MONMOUTH, Ore. – In a tournament that has been highlighted by pitching gems, Sidney Booth added yet another.

The Northwest Nazarene freshman and GNAC Player of the Year threw a one-hitter Friday afternoon to lead the No. 1 seeded Nighthawks to the GNAC Softball Championships final in a 9-0, five-inning win over No. 4 seeded Western Oregon at the WOU Softball Field.

Booth allowed just batter over the minimum with the only hit coming on a two-out double by WOU senior Aleya Turner in the top of the first. She struck out 11 batters to improve to 15-2 on the season.

The NNU offense backed Booth up early and often. Sophomore Emma Mulligan went 3 for 3 for the Nighthawks with three runs and an RBI while senior Ivy Hommel went 2 for 3 with two runs and four RBI, three of those on a three-run homer in the third.

With the win, Northwest Nazarene (30-11) will face No. 2 seeded Western Washington in the tournament final on Saturday at noon. The two teams faced each other in Friday’s opening game, with the Vikings winning 9-0 in five innings behind Anna Kasner’s no-hitter. The matchup sets up a great pitching battle with Kasner and Booth responsible for the three games with one hit or less.

After Western Oregon left a runner stranded in the top of the first, Northwest Nazarene went to work scoring two runs in the home half of the frame. Mulligan led off with a single and scored three batters later on junior Maia McNicoll’s single to left. Booth drew a walk and then scored on senior Tori Hensley’s single to right.

The Nighthawks added on in the second with a four-run, two-out rally. Sophomore Madison Felter drew a one-out walk, Mulligan singled and then Hommel singled to score Felter. Two batters later, Booth connected on a single to left to plate Mulligan and Hommel.

In the third, sophomore Abigail Gagnon hit a leadoff single and senior Madison Strickler reached on fielder’s choice before Mulligan doubled to score Gagnon. Hommel followed with her three-run homer, her ninth of the season.

Freshman Erica Soliz took the loss for Western Oregon (14-17), allowing four runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.