Friday, May 3, 2024
by Evan O'Kelly, Assistant Commissioner For Communications

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Setting up a rematch with No. 14 Western Washington in Saturday’s GNAC Softball Championships title game, No. 13 Northwest Nazarene took care of Saint Martin’s 8-0 in an elimination game on Friday afternoon at Viking Field.

The Nighthawks (39-9) backed up another dominant performance by GNAC Pitcher of the Year Sidney Booth by supplying their ace with plenty of run support, and kept their hopes for a third straight GNAC Championships title alive heading into the final day on Saturday. “We lost the first game which was tough, but we came back ready to work for it,” Booth said referring to the Nighthawks’ 4-2 defeat at the hands of WWU in the first game Friday. “It was a grind for sure. We have so much belief and confidence in each other, and that helps us produce runs and play well on defense.”

Booth allowed just three baserunners in her second shutout performance of the tournament, as the Saints mustered just three singles including two on bunts. The right-hander had five strikeouts and zero walks across the six-inning effort, claiming her 24th win of the season. “When you have Sid in the circle she gives you a minute to get your offense going, and that’s what we needed,” said NNU head coach Rich Wagner. “Seeing our team bounce back and Sid pretty much dominate – it was a great performance on her part. Our team stayed composed and had a plan at the plate, and we stuck to it. We had more than 20 quality at-bats, and that’s what you need to win a game.”

After SMU’s Ashley Goodale led off the bottom of the first with a bunt base hit, Booth retired the next 11 batters that she faced into the fourth inning. The NNU offense struck in the top of the second, when Emma Bumatay sent the first pitch she saw towering over the fence in left field for her fifth home run of the season. Freshman Ava Clark followed by keeping a sharp ground ball just fair inside the bag at third base, and raced to second for a two-run double that made the score 3-0. “I felt like I needed to produce for my team, and having their support gave me confidence at the plate,” said Clark, whose two doubles and three RBIs in the game were both season highs. “When I saw that it was fair I just put on the wheels and hoped that my teammates got in.”

The boost was enough to keep Booth comfortable, as she struck out the side in the bottom of the second and raised her arms in triumph as she watched Keana Bell make an extraordinary, snow-cone catch on a sharp line drive in the bottom of the third. “That was just a relief,” Booth said on the early run support. “I was tired from the first game, so having that behind me was big.”

The Saints’ best chance to get back into the game came in the bottom of the fourth, when back-to-back singles by Shelby Lawson and Olivia Matlock brought the tying run to the plate. Booth got SMU’s Vanessa Smoke to pop up harmlessly however, stranding both runners to keep the lead in her team’s hands.

The Nighthawks put the game away in the top of the sixth inning, when Bumatay drew a walk and Jami Obringer laced a single to right field to set the table with two outs. Clark delivered her second RBI-double of the afternoon, Emma Mulligan followed with a two-run double and Clarissa Moreno capped the five-run rally with her fifth home run of the season to left field. “When this team gets going, they are fun to watch offensively,” Wagner said on the big, two-out rally in the sixth. “Clarissa Moreno has been grinding the last two weeks, and she made a quick adjustment this game. To see a player do that is really fun, and she had a big home run. Ava is just really good at putting bat on ball, and when you’re that good of an athlete with that much speed, good things happen.”

Booth quickly retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth to complete the run-rule victory, and help the Nighthawks tie last year’s program-record 39 victories in a season. “It’s amazing being behind her,” Clark said on Booth’s performance in the circle. “I never have a worry, there is no stress and I always know she will get the job done.”

In addition to her home run, Moreno played superb defense at shortstop and helped save a run in the top of the first inning. With the speedy Goodale at third base and two outs, Moreno handled a tricky hop on a ground ball by Lawson and threw across the diamond in time to end the inning. Mulligan added her team-leading 19th stolen base of the season in the top of the fifth inning.

Tia Ridings made the start for SMU, allowing three runs on one hit and two walks in one inning of work. Amanda Peterson gave up five runs on six hits in her 4 2/3 inning, and Bridget Johnson recorded the final out for the Saints in the circle. Saint Martin’s (26-20) entered the GNAC Championships ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Regional rankings and will hope to hold onto a regional berth when the field is announced on Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern/7 a.m. Pacific.

BOOTH MAKING HER MARK: Booth’s 24 wins this season are tied for seventh most in a season in GNAC history…her 79 career victories are third-most in GNAC history, as she broke a tie with Humboldt State’s Tracy Motzny (78 wins) with Friday’s victory…Booth’s shutout was the 33rd of her career, as she moved into a tie for second with Motzny on the all-time GNAC list…Booth upped her GNAC-record career strikeout total to 781, and she has a GNAC-leading 178 this season…Booth has made 13 appearances at the GNAC Championships, and has thrown 10 complete games, five shutouts while carrying a 0.87 ERA across 72 2/3 innings pitched.

TOURNEY TALK: NNU improved to 6-2 against Saint Martin’s this season…Friday was the fourth time the teams have met at the GNAC Championships, with NNU winning all four matchups…the Nighthawks are looking for their fourth GNAC Championships tournament title (2018, 2022, 2023).