The Saint Martin’s softball team split a two-game set against Northwest Nazarene at home Saturday, losing the first game 8-2 before bouncing back and prevailing 5-1 in the second.
The loss stopped an eight-game winning streak that spanned the entirety of the Saints’ trip to Bartow, Florida, for The Spring Games.
In the opener against the Nighthawks, Northwest Nazarene piled up five runs on four hits in the first inning against Saints starter Bridget Johnson, highlighted by a pair of two-run singles.
Saint Martin’s first hit of the game came in the third on a two-run double by Heather Ebner to score Shelby Lawson and Haley Agena. Johnson settled in nicely after a troublesome first inning, allowing only three more hits over the next four frames. She was replaced in the sixth by Keagan Norfleet after allowing a leadoff single to Lauryn Bergevin, who scored on an RBI single that gave Northwest Nazarene a 6-2 lead. The Nighthawks added another run as Riglee Peterson stole home.
Emma Bumatay put the finishing touches on the Nighthawks’ victory with a solo home run to left center in the seventh. Saint Martin’s was held to just two hits in the loss.
In game two, the Saints jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with Ebner and Kaylee Walker earning RBIs. Starting pitcher Kayla Vaughan retired six straight in the second and third innings before stranding two runners in the fourth. Walker picked up her second RBI in the fifth, singling with the bases loaded. Jennessy Lopez drove in two more with a single to center to give Saint Martin’s a 5-0 lead.
Vaughan finished her day throwing five innings and allowing just one earned run off four hits, striking out two and walking three.
Saint Martin’s (16-12, 1-1 GNAC) will finish off its four-game series against Northwest Nazarene Monday afternoon at home.
