Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. – The University of Northwestern played a pair of home games away from home on Friday as Crown College hosted the Eagles for an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader that was originally scheduled to be played at Reynolds Field before Northwestern's outdoor athletic facilities renovation project was accelerated due to continuing frost and field issues. The Eagles returned to campus victorious, sweeping the Storm with 11-3 and 8-2 wins.

Northwestern steadily poured on the offense in the first game, scoring at least one in each of the six innings that were played before the Eagles reached the needed amount of runs for the eight-run rule. Facing an early 1-0 deficit, Northwestern used a pair of first inning runs to claim the lead for good as UNW took advantage of a Crown wild pitch and passed ball that allowed Jennifer Ankrom (New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton) and Megan Threlkeld (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) to cross home plate.

That theme continued to play throughout the game as the Eagles scored more unearned runs while tacking on a few runs batted in along the way. Kelsey Stoltman (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) hit an RBI single to score Kaylee Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley Watkins) in the second, while an Ellen Larkin (Excelsior, Minn./Southwest Christian) single in the third brought in Ashley Krantz (Andover, Minn./Andover). With the Eagles ahead 8-5, Ankrom and Maddie Pierro (Andover, Minn./Legacy) both collected RBI with hits.

UNW's Threlekd went 3-4 at the plate while Larkin's 1-1 performance in the batter's box produced two RBI.

In the end, just two of Northwestern's 11 runs were charged as earned to Crown pitcher Carissa Beers. Kaia Larson (Ramsey, Minn./Meadow Creek) went all six innings in the pitcher's circle for Northwestern, allowing eight hits while being held responsible for one run.

While Northwestern's margin of victory wasn't as big in Game 2, the steady stream of runs continued for the Eagles. After a scoreless first inning, UNW had a three-run second frame thanks to RBI hits from Pierro and Stotlman.

Ankrom and Erin Kleinjan (Avon, Minn./Holdingford) collected hits in the third inning that produced runs while Lauren Silbernick (Osakis, Minn./Osakis) cruised from the rubber. More scoring came for Northwestern in the fourth when Silbernick's RBI single brought in Forcier before Threlkeld doubled to right field, scoring Emily Guerkink, giving UNW a 7-0 advantage.

Crown finally scored in the fifth on an RBI double from Kendra Magaard before the Eagles answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning when Guerkink reached on a Storm error, allowing Foricer to reach home.

Northwestern collectively out-hit Crown 14-8 in Game 2 with five different Eagles players tallying multiple hits. Stoltman, Threlekd, Ankrom, Kleinjan and Forcier all had at least two hits and one RBI to help UNW improve to 8-12 overall (4-3 UMAC) in the win-loss column.

The Eagles are back in action on Saturday, marking the third straight day that Northwestern will play a doubleheader. UNW will face the University of Minnesota Morris in two games, the first of which will start at approximately 3 p.m. Saturday's twin bill will be played at East Phillips Park at 2307 17th Avenue South in Minneapolis. Fans are asked to bring their own lawn seating as the park is not equipped with bleachers.