Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Game Reaction: Molly Johnsen

ST. PAUL -- After suffering a pair of losses on Tuesday, the Northwestern College softball team rebounded to take two games from North Central University at Reynolds Field on Thursday afternoon. The Eagles earned a 12-strikeout performance from freshman Molly Johnson in a 9-1 win before scoring five runs in the first inning of a 6-5 Game 2 victory.

Johnson was lights out in the first game as NWC progressively scored runs to end the contest after six innings. While Johnson allowed just four hits and one earned run, the Eagles started out the game with four runs in the first inning. Northwestern got three straight singles from its first three batters to start the scoring. While the Eagles were grinding out runs, a few North Central errors helped Northwestern's cause, as a passed ball and an error scored two of three runs for the Purple and Gold in the fifth inning.

North Central scored its only run of the game in the sixth on a two-out single before the Eagles ended the game early with a two-run sixth inning. Lauren Walker (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) earned RBIs for both runs as her single to center field scored Kelsey Stoltman (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) and Ali Witthus (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian).

Three Eagles collected two hits each, including Johnsen, Briana Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello), and Witthus. Walker posted three RBI on a 1-3 performance at the plate.

Despite running out to a big lead, the second game of the day gave Northwestern a few more issues to deal with. The Eagles struggled with errors of their own, committing the same number of mistakes as they scored runs. North Central scored an unearned run in the top of the first before NWC answered with a five-run bottom of the inning. Walker again drove in two runs on a one-out single, scoring Rodgers and Stoltman. One batter later, Kristin Sigurdsen (Barron, Wis./Barron) singled to score Walker before crossing home plate herself before the end of the frame.

North Central cut the lead to 5-2 in the third inning, scoring on a one-out single. After Northwestern answered with a run following an Erin Wankerl (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) double to start the frame, the Rams gave NWC some fits in the top of the sixth. With two outs on the board, North Central seemed to be in trouble with Lonna Dille caught in a hot box between third base and home plate. Northwestern not only allowed Dille to score, but a pair of errors brought home Elisabeth Trickey and Bethany Bostron as well to bring the visitors within a run of the Eagles.

Northwestern's Kelsey Timm (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden) worked out of a jam in the seventh as the Rams had runners on first and second. Timm forced Brook Dickenson to fly out to end the game and give the Eagles a rest before opening UMAC play on Monday.

Rodgers, Sigurdsen and Timm all had a pair of hits in the game with Walker posting another two-RBI performance in the batter's box. Timm went all seven innings in the circle for NWC, allowing one earned run while striking out six.

Now 5-10 in 2012, Northwestern will head west to start its conference schedule at Crown College on Monday afternoon. Monday's first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.