KIRKLAND, Wash. -- The Carroll College Fighting Saints Softball team split their first two games of their weekend series at Northwest on Saturday. The Saints won the first game 9-6, and lost the second game 7-6. 

In game one, Carroll got off to a slow start through the first four innings. Heading into the top of the fifth, they trailed 3-0. Then, the bats woke up. A huge Saints rally, headlined by a Kaitlynn Ayers grand slam, led to 8 runs and Carroll took an 8-3 lead. Ayres is a freshman utility player from Twin Falls, Idaho. After the big inning, Northwest was unable to come back and the Saints secured a 9-6 victory to open the weekend.

Along with Ayers, it was Jessica Nimmo who helped lead the way at the plate for the Saints in their first game. Nimmo, a junior infielder from Las Vegas, Nev., went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. 

In the second game of the day, it was more of a back and forth ball game between the two teams. Northwest started the game out hot, putting up a four spot in the bottom of the first inning. Carroll answered with four of their own to even the score in the top of the second. Heading into the seventh, and final inning, Northwest held on to a 6-4 lead with the Saints coming up to the plate. The Saints were able to start a rally and get two runs across the plate on Jessica Nimmo single to tie the game. The Eagles ended up walking off the Saints in the bottom half of the seventh to end the day. 

Amber Brewer, a junior outfielder from Peoria, Ariz., had two hits for the Saints in the second game as well as an RBI. 

Carroll and Northwest will play two more games on Sunday in Kirkland, Wash. The first game will be a Cascade Conference game at 2 p.m. MST and the second will be a non-conference game at 4 p.m. MST.