Holy Names (27-20) won three straight games in the Cal Pac/Frontier NAIA softball qualifier, including a clinching 4-1 victory at Simpson University on Saturday to advance to a return trip to the NAIA national championships.

The Hawks downed University of Great Falls in the first game, and then captured a thrilling 1-0 win over Cal Pac regular season champ Simpson in Friday's final contest. HNU then pulled off the 4-1 victory on Saturday afternoon to seal their trip to Decatur, Alabama.  

Holy Names first dispatched UGF on Friday afternoon, posting a 6-3 win in their tournament opener. HNU jumped on the Argos early, scoring four in the home-half of the first, after the UGF hitters went down quietly in their first at-bat. Suspect defensive play cost the Argos, aiding the first inning Hawk rally were; two errors, a wild pitch and a hit-batter. The Hawks added two more runs in their half of the fifth and cruised to the win. Laurel Clough and Allison Snider had two hits each and Rachel Martinez went 1-2 with 3 RBI's to lead the HNU hitters. Junior, Markie Benavidez-Talbott, allowed 3 earned runs on 6 Argo hits in route to the complete game victory.

Game two on Friday was an old fashion pitcher's duel between HNU standout Sophomore Stephanie Fairclough and Redhawk hurler, Freshman Hayley Rodriguez. Both Pitchers were outstanding, scattering 4 hits each over 7 innings of work. The Hawks would score the game's lone run in the top half of the sixth inning on a single by Freshman Laurel Clough, plating Fellow frosh Taryn Thomas, who singled earlier in the inning and advanced to on a fielder's Choice.

The two wins on Friday meant the Redhawks would have to beat the Hawks twice, while HNU would only need one victory to earn the National Tournament bid. The Hawks opened the scoring in their half of the second, Samantha Fisher singled to left with one out. Melanie Verrico reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Fisher to second base. Freshman Taryn Thomas smacked a two out double to left, bringing in both base runners and staking HNU to a 2-0 lead.

Holy Names struck again in the third, Laurel Clough led off with a double to left, chasing starting redhawk pitcher Amanda Crocker. HNU would load the bases, but Redhawk Reliever Krystal Shaw fielded a ground ball and started the 1-2-3 double play. With Jessica Merriam at third and Rachel Martinez at second and two outs, Samantha Fisher singled to left, plating Merriam. Martinez advanced to third on the hit and scored as the relay throw was mishandled, giving the Hawks a 4-0 advantage.

HNU starter Markie Talbott-Benavidez and the Hawk defense would make those runs stand up. Benevidez went the distance, throwing six scoreless innings before the Redhawks broke through with a single run in their last at bat, to make it a 4-1 final. She scattered four hits while striking out one batter, the defense behind her was stellar as well, as 20 of the 21 Simpson outs were handled in the field.

With the victory, Holy Names University claims the automatic bid to the 30th annual NAIA Softball Championship. The event is set for May 20-26 in Decatur, Alabama; HNU softball will be making their second straight appearance in the National Tournament.