ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (Apr. 27, 2008) – After a long day at the Irish Dome in Rosemount, Minn., the Northwestern College softball team took sole ownership of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference's top spot, winning three games. The three victories (8-0 over Presentation, 16-5 over Martin Luther and 9-1 over Bethany Lutheran) and a Northland loss to Martin Luther gives the Eagles a one-game lead in the standings as all eight teams in the league wrap up their regular seasons this week before next weekend's conference tournament.

Northwestern started with an 8:30 a.m. contest against the Saints from Presentation, scoring runs in all but one of the five innings played before shutting out Presentation 8-0. Kelsey Hanson (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) pitched all five innings, striking out nine batters in a three-hitter.

The day's second foe was Martin Luther, who NWC had swept in a doubleheader one week ago. The third game between the two teams wasn't much different, as the Eagles used a seven-run first inning and a six-run fifth inning en route to cruising past the Knights 16-5. Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) got the nod to start Game 2 in the pitcher's circle, giving up two earned runs on five hits in the five-inning affair. Rodgers was just as dominant at the plate, teaming up with Jewel Johnston (San Luis Obispo. Calif./San Luis Obispo) (San Luis Obispo, Calif./San Luis Obispo), as both hit home runs in the contest.

Northwestern finished the day with Bethany Lutheran, handing out another season sweep to the Vikings, who also took two losses at Reynolds Field earlier this season. After Bethany scored the first run of the game in the first inning, Northwestern responded with nine unanswered runs. Rodgers and Lauren August (Maple Plain, Minn./West Lutheran) (Maple Plain, Minn./West Lutheran) each recorded doubles in the game, while Hanson once again had a great performance from the rubber. The junior's 10 strikeouts in the game catapulted her past Sarah Alberhasky's 109 strikeouts in 2001, giving Hanson first place in the Eagle record books for strikeouts in a season with 116.

Offensively, Rodgers had a great day at the plate, going a combined 7-for-10 with five RBI and four runs scored. August bumped her batting average up to .352 with a 6-for-10 day, adding three RBI while crossing the plate three times herself. Ashley Weimer (Hill City, Minn./Hill City) (Hill City, Minn./Hill City) had two 2-for-4 performances, totaling a 5-for-8 day with five RBI and two runs.

Northwestern, now 23-9 (15-2 UMAC) will hardly get a few hours off before embarking on a two-day road trip on Monday. Presentation will arrive home from this weekend's tournament only a few hours before the Eagles roll into Aberdeen, S.D. to play in a 3 p.m. game.  NWC will continue their road trip on Tuesday, when they face Minnesota-Morris in Morris, Minn.