ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern falls in the series opener to Southern Nazarene on Thursday at the Ranger Softball Field at the Alva Recreation Complex. Hannah Howell and Allison Zanca each connect for a homerun in the loss.
The Rangers drop game one 16-3 in five innings. The loss shifts NWOSU to 7-17 overall and 2-16 in the Great American Conference.
The Red-and-Black would have seven hits in the game, Howell would lead the team with two hits, while Mesa Gann, Taylor Graham, Kalie Johnson, Morgan La Neve and Zanca would have one.
Howell, La Neve and Zanca each drove in a run for Northwestern.
Howell got the start lasting 3.1 innings, allowing 10 runs, five earned on eight hits with a strikeout. With the loss, Howell falls to 5-7 on the season.
Kameron Ryer would come in to throw 1.1 innings in relief. She allowed six runs on seven hits. Alexia Taylor would surrender a hit before recording the final out.
Southern Nazarene would score three runs in the top of the first to get out in front 3-0.
Howell would connect on the first pitch of the bottom of the first, launching a solo homerun over the bullpen in left field, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
Leading off the bottom of the second, Zanca would drive her first career homerun out to left; the Rangers would trail 3-2.
SNU would score two runs in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead.
The Red-and-Black would start a rally in the bottom of the third inning, getting two runners on, but could not get a run across the plate.
The Crimson Storm would get five runs in the fourth inning and another six in the fifth to get out in front 16-2.
In the fifth inning, the Rangers would not go quietly. Allie Hufford would reach on a one-out walk, followed by a Graham single to left. La Neve would single to right to score McElroy, to make the final score 16-3.
The Red-and-Black will host Southern Nazarene for a doubleheader starting at 2 pm to wrap up the series.
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