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Northwestern-Minnesota Morris Box Score
Northwestern-St. Scholastica Box Score

DULUTH, Minn. -- The Northwestern College softball team overcame some self-inflicted adversity on Friday morning as the Eagles pushed through some late-inning runs to defeat No. 2 University of Minnesota Morris 3-0 in the first round of the UMAC Tournament. NWC left the loaded after having no outs in both the first and fourth innings before scoring a run in the fifth and two more in the seventh.

Northwestern took advantage of a Cougars throwing error in the fifth as Kristin Sigurdsen (Barron, Wis./Barron) reached first base in the Eagles' leadoff at-bat. Briana Rodgers (Monticello, Minn./Monticello) landed down a sacrifice bunt to move Sigurdsen to second before Kelsey Timm (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls-Aiden)'s RBI fielder's choice gave the Purple and Gold the first run of the game.

With the Eagles leading 1-0, Kelsey Stoltman (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) quickly gave NWC an insurance run in the top of the seventh frame as her leadoff home run over the center field fence bumped the advantage to 2-0. Sigurdsen and Rodgers then hit consecutive doubles to left field to score Northwestern's third run of the game, which proved to be enough to advance in the winner's bracket.

Stoltman, Sigurdsen and Rodgers, NWC's Nos. 1, 2 and 3 hitters in the lineup, all had two hits in the game. Timm went all seven innings for the Eagles in the pitcher's circle, allowing five hits and striking out five batters en route to the shutout.

Northwestern, the double elimination tournament's third seed, will now play the winner of Friday's 12 p.m. game between the College of St. Scholastica and Northland College at 4 p.m. at the Saints' Kenwood Field in Duluth.

Northwestern came excitedly close to entering Friday's second day of competition undefeated in the tournament, but a St. Scholastica run in the bottom of the seventh inning kept the Eagles from a win in a 5-4 final. The host-Saints scored a run in the second inning and three more in the third to go up 4-0. NWC came back with three runs in the fourth inning and one more in the fifth to tie the game at 4-4.

Sigurdsen homered to start the fourth inning to give the Eagles a jump start. Rodgers, Lauren Walker (Shoreview, Minn./Concordia Academy) and Timm all followed with consecutive singles to load the bases, giving way to Lindsay Deans (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis), who hit a two-out double to right center to score Walker and Rodgers. It was Rodgers' turn to go long in the fifth, as the junior hit a two-out bomb to left center to even the score.

Eagles pitcher Molly Johnsen (Floodwood, Minn./Floodwood) blanked the Saints in the bottom halves of the fifth and sixth inning before a leadoff single gave St. Scholastica hope in their portion of the seventh frame. Merryssa Tiedeman singled up the middle to start off. Shauney Moen pinch ran for Tiedeman, stealing second before advancing to third on Kali Carlson's sacrifice bunt. Theresa Tauer did the same thing at the plate for St. Scholastica, laying down a bunt that was good enough for Moen to score and the Saints to win.

Johnsen gave up seven hits while striking out six over six and a third innings, dropping her season record to 9-11. Sigurdsen and Rodgers produced two hits apiece for the second straight game while Deans went 1-3 with her run-scoring double.

Northwestern leaves Kenwood Field for the day with a 19-23 overall record. The Eagles will be back for Friday's action, facing a familiar foe in Minnesota Morris in a 10 a.m. win-or-go-home game.  If NWC wins, the Eagles will then face St. Scholastica at 12 p.m. and will have to beat the Saints twice to earn the tournament crown and a berth in the NCAA playoffs.