Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MINNEAPOLIS – The University of Northwestern softball team officially kicked off its 2014 campaign on Friday, splitting a pair of afternoon contests with Wartburg College. The Eagles lost their opener on an 8-1 account before posting an impressive comeback in the second game of the twin bill to win 12-11.

UNW struggled to score runs in the first go-around while the Knights found success on offense, crossing home plate in three innings. Kaia Larson (Ramsey, Minn./Meadow Creek) was Eagles head coach Alicia du'Monceaux's go-to to start the season in the pitcher's circle. Larson allowed four runs in three innings, but all four were unearned due to some early season defensive blunders in the field.

Northwestern's lone run came in the third inning as Emily Geurkink (Baldwin, Wis./Baldwin-Woodville) scored after a single from Megan Threlkeld (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville). Guerkink's score was the first for either team on the day, briefly giving UNW a brief lead before Wartburg responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame.

Lauren Silbernick (Osakis, Minn./Osakis) came into relieve Larson for the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Silberenck was also on the rubber while Wartburg scored four runs, but much like her teammate, Silberneck wasn't charged for the majority of those plate crossings.

After dropping Game 1, Northwestern turned up the heat at the right time, using an eight-run seventh inning to finish the day with a win in Game 2. Wartburg scored a run in both the first and second innings before the Eagles answered with one-run fourth and fifth frames. In the pitcher's circle for the first time this year, Silbernick was nearly on cruise control before getting roughed up in the sixth when the Knights put up seven runs to take a 9-2 lead.

UNW chipped away at that lead in the bottom half of the inning when freshman Kaylee Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley Watkins) hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring Ellen Larkin (Excelsior, Minn./Southwest Christian) in the process. The bomb was Forcier's second hit of her collegiate career, making quite the debut for the Northwestern rookie.

Wartburg matched the Eagles' two-spot with two runs of their own in the top of the seventh and the Knights had to feel comfortable going into the bottom half of the frame owning an 11-4 lead. That comfort zone got smaller by the minute though, as Northwestern strung together nine hits to go with a Wartburg error to score eight runs to win the game.

Northwestern recorded 10 straight hits in that historic seventh inning and still had two runners on base when the game-winning run came across the plate. Threlkeld started the frame with a leadoff single and rounded out the frame with the game-winning hit that brought Kelsey Stoltman (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) home.

The Eagles' 19 hits were a significant improvement over their three from the first game. Stoltman, Threlkeld, Ankrom and Forcier all had three hits with Forcier's trio of runs batted in helping UNW produce 11 RBI in the seven inning contest.

Larson pitched the last inning and a third to earn the win for Northwestern.

Now 1-1 to start the season, the Eagles are back on the diamond right away on Saturday as Northwestern will play another doubleheader at Augsburg College, this time against the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Minneapolis.