LACEY, Wash. – For a third straight game, the Saints came back in the fifth inning or later to take the first end of a doubleheader 7-2 against Simon Fraser. However, their luck ran out in the final game, with the Clan capitalizing on Saints' errors to squeeze out a 10-6 win.
 
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, RBI singles by Alyssa French and Nicki DeHan put the Saints on top 4-2. SMU added three more in the sixth, along with Lauren Maley's three no hit innings of relief, the Saints captured game one. Once again Simon Fraser led early in the second game, 3-0, but SMU rallied back, highlighted by two RBI single by Kylie Lopez and a solo home run by Sabrina Hicks. The Clan took advantage of four errors by Saint Martin's to score seven runs in the final three innings to win 10-6.
 
The Clan (16-16, 12-12) struck first, scoring two runs in the first inning, both coming on a single to left field. The Saints (23-18, 13-11) responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI double by Tessani Dixon.
 
The score remained 2-1 until the fifth when French singled hard through the left side, scoring Kim Nelson. Nicki DeHan put the Saints on top with a single to center field, plating both French and Dixon. Saint Martin's added three insurance runs in the sixth on RBI hits by Nelson and French and a sac fly by Dixon.
 
Kim Nelson got the start, going 1.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on six hits with one strike out. Lindsay Miller was called in to get the final out of the second and she also threw the third and fourth, allowing no hits and striking out three. Maley (16-11) faced the minimum nine batters in her three innings, getting four fly outs and five ground outs to lock down the victory.

"We came alive offensively and had solid pitching and good defense," said head coach Jim Peterson. "Kim Nelson has a lot of confidence at the plate right nwo and is having some really good at bats."
 
In the second game, SFU scored the first three runs of the game with RBI singles in the second inning. The Saints answered back in the bottom of the second, starting with a two RBI single by Lopez. Lauren Diuco reached base on a fielder's choice, bringing home Devyn Connolly before an error by the Clan put SMU up 4-3.
 
Sabrina Hicks added to the lead with her second home run of the season, a solo shot to left center. Simon Fraswer battled back in the fifth inning to regain the lead, adding one on a RBI single and then scored two on a SMU error.
 
Hicks managed to bring the Saints within one with her sac fly in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Taylor Wolf. The Clan sealed the victory in the top of the seventh, scoring three more runs to split the doubleheader.
 
Nelson once again got the start, going 1.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned before Lindsay Miller threw another 1.2 innings of shutout ball. Lauren Maley (16-12) picked up the loss after seven runs scored; however, only two were earned in four inning of relief.

"We had some defensive struggles in the game and were not able to comeback in the end," said Peterson. 
 
The Saints play their final home games of the season next Saturday, a doubleheader against Central Washington. SMU currently holds the final spot in the GNAC Championships by one game.