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Softball

Eagles pile up runs in doubleheader sweep of Martin Luther

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ST. PAUL -- Northwestern College avenged a pair of last-inning losses from Monday with two UMAC victories on Tuesday over Martin Luther College. The 16-9 and 11-0 wins solidified the Eagles' No. 2 seeding in this weekend's conference tournament in Duluth, Minn.

Game 1 of Tuesday's action was a slugfest, as both teams had scored seven runs through the first three innings. Martin Luther scored first with a pair of runs in the opening inning before Northwestern answered with a run as Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) singled Alyssa Borgstrom (Amery, Wis./Amery) (Amery, Wis./Amery) home.

The Knights came back for five runs in the second inning, taking advantage of five hits. Northwestern matched its opponent's offering with a five runs in the bottom half of the frame. After Kristin Sigurdsen (Barron, Wis./Barron) (Barron, Wis./Barron) doubled down the left field line in her at-bat, the freshman scored on a double by Kristie Bicket (Zion, Ill./Zion-Benton Township) (Zion, Ill./Zion-Benton Township). Briana Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) followed with a single of her own to score Bicket. Two batters later, Jenna Ruby (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie) (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie-Grey Eagle) got in on the action with a triple to right field, scoring two more runs to bring the Eagles within one.

After Kelsey Timm (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden) (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Alden) shut down the Knights from the pitcher's circle in the top of the third inning, NWC tied the game when Bicket doubled to left field, scoring Sigurdsen in the process. The Eagles continued to pour on runs with two more in the fourth on a single and a sacrifice fly, making the score 9-7 in Northwestern's favor.

The home team left little doubt as to who was going to win the game after a seven-run sixth inning that put the Eagles over the top. Sigurdsen collected her second and third RBI of the game as Northwestern collected seven hits while taking advantage of two Martin Luther errors. Borgstrom bumped her season RBI total to 24 with a two-out double before Bicket singled to put up another run in the Eagles' favor.

Ashley Olson (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd), who entered the game in the fourth inning, shook off a leadoff hit by the Knights in the seventh inning to preserve the victory.

Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) collected four hits in the game, crossing the plate three times while earning an RBI. Ruby was one of four Eagles to record three RBI in the game as she went 3-5 at the plate. Both Borgstrom and Bicket had three-RBI games while Sigurdsen was a perfect 404 with three RBI and two runs scored.

After Timm gave up seven runs in three innings from the rubber, Olson allowed four hits and a run while striking out three over four innings.

The only difference between Game 1 and Game 2 was that the Eagles pitching staff dominated the Knights in the second contest while the NWC bats kept going. Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) went the distance in an abbreviated five-inning game as Northwestern won 11-0.

All of the Eagles' 11 runs in the game came in the second inning, as NWC strung 10 hits together to go with an MLC error. In one inning, Amanda Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) continued to pile on to her season RBI total of 29 with three more while Abbey Eagen (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) and Sigurdsen both had two-RBI innings. Five Northwestern players had two or more hits in the game, while Jessie Lokken (Goodland, Minn./Nashwauk-Keewatin) paced the team with a 3-3 performance at the plate.

In the circle, Rodgers yielded three hits while striking out two of the 17 batters she faced.

Northwestern improves its season record to 21-17 overall, making 2010 a career season for Eagles head coach Alicia du'Monceaux, who finished her first year of coaching with 20 wins. The Eagles will head into Friday's opening day of the UMAC tournament with a 14-6 mark in conference play, giving them the No. 2 seed. Northwestern will play third-seeded Northland College at 10 a.m. at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth with another game scheduled for either 2 or 4 p.m. depending on the outcome of the first contest.
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