NAMPA, ID — The Saint Martin's Softball team faced a familiar foe in Northwest Nazarene in their first game of the NCAA West Regional on Thursday, May 9 at Bobby Welch Halle Field.

The Saints started the game with great plate discipline, as Ashley Goodale and Kekai Schultz were able to get on base thanks to their patience. The offense would hit a stand-still, however, and even though they were aided by the efforts of Heather Ebner and Olivia Matlock, both of whom had two hits on the day, it would not result in early runs.

Chloe Leverington went another full game for the Saints on the mound, and despite giving up a home run and RBI to Bumatay in the second and third innings of the contest, would hold it down with four strikeouts. She was helped by impressive defensive efforts across the board, including multiple athletic plays by senior shortstop Destiny Conerly.

The bats heated up in the second half of the contest and the Saints found themselves tied in the top of the seventh after hit by Vanessa Smoke led to a throwing error by the Northwest Nazarene shortstop, which would bring in Shelby Lawson and Britney Patrick on unearned runs. Unfortunately, the Saints would be unable to put any more runs on the board and Nighthawks would win the game in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off single by Booth.

The Saints will have the chance to rebound and continue their NCAA Regional run against Concordia University Irvine on Friday, May 10 at 12:30 PM PST.