MORRIS, Minn. (Apr. 29, 2008) – After celebrating several broken records on Monday, the Northwestern College softball team continued their historic run on Tuesday, sweeping the University of Minnesota-Morris to claim the outright Upper Midwest Athletic Conference regular season championship.

The 13-3 and 9-1 victories increased the Eagles winning streak to 14, while the Eagles' regular season championship is their first since 1995. NWC had even more to celebrate over, as head coach Tracy Cromer claimed her 100^th career coaching victory following the first game.

The Eagles wasted no time in getting their offense started, as Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) and Lauren August (Maple Plain, Minn./West Lutheran) (Maple Plain, Minn./West Lutheran) each recorded RBI hits in the first inning.

After scoring another run in the second frame, NWC opened the flood gates, scoring six runs in four hits in the third inning. After Rodgers hit a leadoff double, August once again tallied an RBI with a double through the left side. Three batters later, Alyssa Borgstrom (Amery, Wis./Amery) (Amery, Wis./Amery) slugged a home run to right field, driving in three runs. After Natalie Slagter (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) (Prinsburg, Minn./Central Minnesota Christian) scored on an error, the Eagles led 9-0.

Morris finally got on the board in the fourth inning, but a three-run fifth inning for the Eagles shut the door on a 13-3 win. Rodgers was once again on the prowess, doubling to left field to drive in Jenny Kortus (Milaca, Minn./Milaca) (Milaca, Minn./Milaca). Rodgers finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and two RBI. She crossed the plate three times.

Kelsey Hanson (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis), the Eagles' single season strikeouts and all-time wins leader, pitched all five innings for the win, giving up no earned runs while striking out nine.

Game 2 was a little more tamed for NWC, but a six-run fifth inning shut the door on not only the game, but also the conference championship, as the Eagles took care of business in 9-1 fashion.

The Cougars got on the board first, scoring a run in the first inning before Northwestern tied the game on a Borgstrom single down the left field line. NWC added two more runs in the third inning, courtesy of a Rodgers double. The sophomore scored in the next-at bat on an error.

Northwestern's icing on the cake came in the fifth inning, when five hits turned into six runs. Along with Jessie Lokken (Goodland, Minn./Nashwauk-Keewatin) and Jenna Ruby (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie)'s (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie) RBIs, Borgstrom added two more herself on a single, and the Eagles cruised to a 9-1 victory.

Rodgers was lights out in the pitcher's circle, hurling five strikeouts in five innings. She yielded the one run on three hits.

Offensively, Borgstrom finished a combined 4-for-7, tallying six RBI to go with a run scored. Rodgers added another 4-for-7 performance to go with three RBI and five runs.

 

Cromer is the second Northwestern coach to hit the 100-win mark. Delroy Johnson's (1982-1997) record of 226 wins is the only mark to best Cromer's.

After playing seven games in the past three days, Northwestern (27-9, 19-2 UMAC) will finally get a break before participating in this weekend's UMAC postseason tournament. Friday's opening round of the four-team, double elimination tournament will be hosted by Crown College in St. Bonifacious, Minn. Game times have yet to be announced.