HOUGHTON, NY – The Nazareth College Softball team snapped a nine-game losing streak Saturday with a 7-4 victory in the second game of an Empire 8 doubleheader at Houghton. The Highlanders won the opener 6-1.
Nazareth (3-15 overall, 3-13 Empire 8) was limited to just five hits in the first game but had seven runs on eight hits in the nightcap.
Houghton (5-19, 4-12 E8) took a lead in the first game with single runs in the second and third innings before Nazareth cut the lead in half with its only run of the game in the fourth.
With two outs in the fourth, junior Sarah Simmons doubled to center field and freshman Megan Pum followed with a single to right field to score Simmons from second.
The Highlanders added to their lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and then closed out the scoring with a run in the sixth.
Simmons and Pum combined for four of the five Nazareth hits as each finished 2-for-3 in the opener.
In game two, Nazareth took the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning.
With two outs, junior Aubrin Smith singled and Simmons followed with a double to score Smith with the early 1-0 lead.
The Golden Flyers added two more run in the third and two more in the fourth to build a 5-0 lead.
In the third, Pum and sophomore Leah Simon had run scoring singles as Nazareth scored both runs with two outs in the inning. In the fourth, Smith hammered a two-run double to score senior Janelle Walters and sophomore Lily Sullivan.
In the seventh inning, Nazareth extended the lead to 7-0. Simmons had her third double of the day and a single by Pum forced home one run and Simmons came home on an error.
Houghton battled back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and then scored another run in the seventh to make it close before starting pitcher Emily Daciw retired the final batter to end the game with a fly ball to left field.
In game two, Smith was 2-for-2 with three runs and two runs batted in, Simmons was 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI and Pum was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Daciw allowed eight hits and one walk but struck out eight batters for the win.
Nazareth returns home to face St. John Fisher Tuesday and will also host RIT Thursday before wrapping up the regular season at Keuka Saturday.
