NWC-Northland Box Score
NWC-St. Scholastica Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. – Northwestern College posted a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over Northland College in its first game of a split doubleheader on Tuesday. Despite committing four defensive errors, the Eagles out-hit the LumberJills 10-7. Lauren Walker (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) went 2-4 with three RBI for NWC.

Playing as the home team on the scoreboard at a neutral site, the Eagles scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. After a leadoff walk, Kelsey Stoltman (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) was Walker's first RBI of the day as the sophomore singled down the right field line to score Stoltman.

Northland answered back with four runs across the second and third frames, putting the Eagles down by a 4-1 count. Northwestern came roaring back with three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. A Briana Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) double scored Ali Witthus (Chanhassen, Minn./Southwest Christian) in the fith, followed by a double from Walker to score Rodgers and Kristin Sigurdsen (Barron, Wis./Barron).

Errors and wild pitches eventually gave the Eagles a bases loaded situation in the sixth. Stoltman hit a sacrifice fly to score Sarah Burt before Sigurdsen hit a single to bring home Anna Schurch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North). Shortly thereafter, a Northland fielding error allowed Witthus to score before the inning ended.

The LumberJills, who beat NWC on a seventh-inning comeback earlier this season in Ashland, Wis., nearly pulled off the same scenario on Tuesday. Kelsey Timm (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden) struck out Northland's Becca Fredlund to end the inning though and the Eagles breathed a sigh of relief knowing they had secured a victory.

Timm went all seven innings from inside the pitcher's circle, allowing four earned runs on seven hits. In addition to Walker's big day at the plate, Witthus finished 2-3 with a pair of runs scored.

Northwestern went toe-to-toe with the College of St. Scholastica in its second game of the day, with each team forcing the other to put zeros on the board inning after inning. The Saints finally broke the scoreless game with a three-run sixth inning that proved to be good enough to win.

A leadoff double by St. Scholastica's Bonnie Kowalczyk led to the home team's first run before two more unearned runs crossed the plate. Jordan Spiering hit a single before advancing to second on a fielding error by the Eagles before a dropped fly ball extended the inning for the Saints.

Northwestern, who was held hitless until the top of the seventh frame, was given hope as Rodgers belted a double to right center. Walker flied out to right field in the Eagles' next at-bat, and St. Scholastica left Kenwood Park with a 3-0 win.

Rodgers had NWC's only hit as the Saints' Darcy Roach struck out 10 Eagles batters in the pitcher's circle. Molly Johnsen (Floodwood, Minn./Floodwood), Roach's foe from Northwestern, struck out six batters while allowing six hits.

Northwestern returns home with a 15-19 overall record and a 10-7 mark in UMAC play. The Eagles will continue the conference portion of their schedule this weekend at the UMAC Crossover Tournament in Ashland, Wis. NWC will play two games on Friday (10 a.m. and 12 p.m.) and two more on Saturday (12 p.m. and 4 p.m.).