BENTONVILLE, Ark. – A three-run home run from Liana Heshiki provided all the offense Southern Nazarene required as Janie Worthington dominated in the circle in a 3-1 win against Harding in Friday’s second semifinal of the 2024 Great American Conference Softball Championships – Presented by Under Armour.
With one out in the third, Heshiki lifted a drive to right field for her sixth home run of the season. Emma Green and Kenedi Morelock scored in front of her. The Crimson Storm (37-15) kept the pressure on the Lady Bisons (34-18) throughout the contest as they collected 10 hits. Morelock, Emma Swearingen and Kristen Mullendore all tallied two.
Worthington carried a shutout into the seventh inning but allowed a solo home run to Emma Curry. She limited Harding to just three hits as she threw her 11th complete game of the season and improved to a GAC-leading 22-3. She struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
The Crimson Storm, ranked seventh in the most recent NCAA Division II Central Region rankings, picked up its third win in four matchups with the Lady Bisons, who came into the GAC Championships ranked eighth in the region.
Southern Nazarene faces Southern Arkansas in Saturday’s noon final in the Crimson Storm’s second-ever appearance in the title game. The Crimson Storm swept the regular-season series with the Muleriders by a combined 13-2 margin.