ST. PAUL -- The Northwestern College softball team evened its season record on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Martin Luther College at Reynolds Field. The Eagles overcame cold weather conditions to win 7-1 and 10-3 to head into the Easter weekend riding a three-game winning streak.

In the first contest, Jenna Ruby (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie) (Long Prairie, Minn./Long Prairie-Gray Eagle) broke open a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning with a three-run home run that brought home Ali Witthus (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian) (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian) and Anna Schurch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) (Lakeville, Minn./North). Northwestern continued to score in the frame as Briana Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) hit an RBI single to increase the Eagles' lead to 5-1. Erin Kleinjan (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) hit her first collegiate home run in the sixth inning before a groundout scored Schurch to wrap up Northwestern's scoring.

Ashley Olson (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) (Baxter, Minn./Brainerd) pitched all seven innings for the Eagles, giving up just the one earned run in the first inning amidst five hits to bring her season's earned run average (ERA) down to 2.70. At the plate, Ruby finished the game with four RBI on two hits while Rodgers had a pair of hits that brought in two runs.

NWC started the second game where it left off in the first, scoring runs in every inning to win the second contest 10-3. Ruby kept at it, doubling to left center in her first at-bat before scoring on a double from Lauren Walker (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy). Ruby hit her second bomb of the day in her second appearance in the batter's box, taking Martin Luther's Sarah Free deep to center field, bringing Witthus home in the process. The Eagles finished their day with a three-run sixth inning that included a two-RBI single from Olson and another run scored from Kleinjan.

Kelsey Timm (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden) (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden) got the nod to start Game 2 in the pitcher's circle. The sophomore went all seven innings, striking out five while giving up just one earned run in the process.

Now 15-15 overall, Northwestern improved to 10-5 in UMAC action to maintain third place in the conference standings behind the College of St. Scholastica and University of Minnesota Morris. After taking a few days off, the Eagles will return to the field on Tuesday, April 26, when they face Northland College and St. Scholastica in a crossover tournament hosted by Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn.