Alva Review-Courier -

BETHANY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene used a dominant pitching performance from Katelyn Brown to down Southwestern Oklahoma State 9-1 in the opening game Saturday afternoon. The Storm resorted to their offense to win the second game, as SNU scored a season-high 15 runs on their way to a 15-7 win over the Bulldogs.

In the opener, Katelyn Brown (8-10) had rough start to the game as she gave up a lead off home run. However, Brown rebounded and pitched four scoreless innings, while allowing just one hit on her way to claiming a 9-1 win.

After trailing 1-0 after two innings, Southern Nazarene took the lead in the bottom of the third and never looked back. Riley Brown led the inning off with a walk and was pinch ran for by Kendal Stockstill. Stockstill came around to score after Kriston Shumaker hit a double to left center. Kyndall Freer-Christopher singled to put runners at first and third. After a Cheyenne Reynolds ground out, Hannah LeBeau hit a two-RBI single up the middle to score both the runner from third and first. Sam Smith added another run when she hit an RBI single to score Mahina Sauer. The Storm added one more run in the inning as LeBeau was able to score on a throwing error. SNU scored three runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth on their way to a 9-1 win.

Brown finished the game pitching five innings, while surrendering two hits and just one run. Brown also struck out seven. Sauer went 1-for-1 with a walk, a run scored and two RBIs. LeBeau went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.

In the nightcap, Southwestern Oklahoma State got out to an early lead as the Bulldogs were able to score a run in the first. SNU took the lead in the bottom of the first, as they were able to strike for four runs. A Sauer single scored James, a Katelyn Brown single scored Sanchez, and a Riley Brown single through the left side scored Katelyn Brown and Sauer. The Bulldogs were able to get one run back in the second, putting the score at 4-2.

The Crimson Storm extended their lead to ten runs as they were able to explode for eight runs in the second. Southern Nazarene loaded the bases up and then a Katelyn Brown single to right scored James and Sanchez. With runners on the corners, Smith doubled to left to score Sauer and Brown, giving SNU an 8-2 lead. SNU made it a 12-2 game when Amy Reynolds hit a single to score Smith, James singled to score Logan Sundbye, and Sauer singled to score James and Riley Brown.

SWOSU rallied for five runs in the fourth to put the score at 12-7 going into the bottom of the fourth. Southern Nazarene answered with three runs to push the lead back to eight runs. LeBeau brought in one run with an RBI single and Katelyn Brown brought in the other two runs with a single down the left field line.

The Bulldogs were held scoreless in the fifth as the Storm locked up a 15-7 win.

Sauer got the win (3-7) as she gave up six runs on five hits in 3.1 innings of work. James went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI. Katelyn Brown went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a career high five RBIs. Riley Brown went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Sauer went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. In getting hits in both games today, Sauer extended her hitting-streak to ten games.