Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2

ST. PAUL (Apr. 16, 2008) – After a 21-3 rout of Crown College in the two teams' first affair this season, Northwestern College claimed a season sweep over the Storm after winning 10-2 and 16-0 at Reynolds Field on Wednesday.

 

After Crown scored first in the initial contest, Northwestern rebounded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the first inning. The Eagles then poured the offense on in the fourth frame, scoring five runs on two hits. Natalie Slagter (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian), Jewel Johnston (San Luis Obispo. Calif./San Luis Obispo) (San Luis Obispo. Calif. / San Luis Obispo) and Alyssa Borgstrom (Amery, Wis./Amery) (Amery, Wis./Amery) all recorded RBIs in the inning, as NWC held on to a 6-1 lead.

Crown scored another run in the top of the sixth inning, but the Eagles answered with four more runs to close out the game due to the eight-run rule. Jessie Lokken (Goodland, Minn. / Nashwauk-Keewatin) began the inning with a double to left field, and Ashley Weimer (Hill City, Minn./Hill City) (Hill City, Minn./Hill City) singled up the middle two batters later to bring in two runs. After Weimer scored on a wild pitch, Jenny Kortus (Milaca, Minn./Milaca) (Milaca, Minn./Milaca) singled to left field, driving in Slagter as Northwestern won 10-2.

 

Kelsey Hanson (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) pitched all six innings for Northwestern, striking out eight while giving up three hits.

 

The Eagles upped their intensity in Game 2, not allowing the Storm to score a run while scoring 16 of their own in just four and a half innings. After scoring a run in the first frame to open the game, NWC added five more in the second. With two quick outs, Kortus doubled down the left field line to score Slagter, Weimer and Borgstrom. Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) followed with a double to right center, bringing Kortus across the plate.

 

As if a five-run second inning wasn't enough, how about adding frosting to the cake in the third frame, when the Eagles lopped seven more runs on to their increasing total. Rodgers and Lokken each tallied two RBI in the inning, while Weimer and Kortus added RBIs themselves. In all, the inning's totals read seven runs on seven hits.

 

After Northwestern scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, Crown (0-9, 0-5 UMAC) was ready to call it a day after the scoreboard read 16-0 in favor of the Eagles.

 

Rodgers started the game from the pitcher's circle for Northwestern, yielding no hits while striking out two in three innings. Johnston relieved Rodgers in the fourth, striking out two Crown batters while giving up a lone hit.

 

Offensively, Kortus showed why she was voted the UMAC Softball Offensive Player of the Week, going a combined 5-for-6 with five RBI and five runs scored. Both Kortus and Rodgers tallied four RBI apiece in the second game. Weimer was 4-for-8 at the plate, crossing the plate four times while adding three RBI to her day's resume.

Slagter continued her ever-present hitting streak, improving the current number to 16 after recording at least two hits in both of today's games.

Today's twin bill began a slew of games for the Eagles (12-8, 4-1 UMAC), as they will play eight games in a span of four days. On Thursday, NWC will travel to Ashland, Wis. to face Northland College in a 3 p.m. doubleheader. Martin Luther and Bethany Lutheran will await the Eagles at Reynolds Field on Friday and Saturday.