Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MINNEAPOLIS – Saturday was a rather forgettable day for the University of Northwestern softball team, who dropped both games of an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader to the University of Minnesota Morris at East Phillips Park.

Megan Threlkeld (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville)'s fifth inning grand slam was Northwestern's lone bright spot in an otherwise messy 13-4 loss for the Eagles. UNW was out-hit 15-6 and tied a season high for errors committed with six. Minnesota Morris hit Northwestern pitcher Kaia Larson (Ramsey, Minn./Meadow Creek) hard, putting together a six-run second inning on top of two runs that the Cougars had already scored in the first frame. Morris scored at least one run in all five innings that were played before the visitors on the scoreboard were able to walk off the field with a win per the NCAA's eight-run rule.

By the end of the second inning, Northwestern had already committed three errors, leading to just one of the Cougars' eight runs to be charged to Larson as being earned.

Both teams left six runners on base, with the Eagles twice leaving at least two ducks on the pond. UNW had the bases loaded in the fourth but couldn't bring a run across that inning.

Threlkeld's grand slam off of Kelsey Fisher was the freshman's first home run of her collegiate career. Jennifer Ankrom (New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton) had two of Northwestern's six hits.

Instead of getting better, things went even farther south for the Eagles in Game 2 as UNW was shutout in another five inning, eight-run rule abbreviated game that saw the Cougars score 14 unanswered runs. Morris put together five runs in the second inning before going off for seven runs in the fifth to assure the Cougars a quicker ride home.

In addition to recording just five hits in the game, Northwestern struggled to score base runners. The Eagles loaded the bases in the third, but a strikeout ended the inning without any runs. UNW left two on in both the fourth and fifth frames for a total of nine stranded runners in the game.

Threlkeld had two of Northwestern's five hits while Ann Lokke (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis)'s season ERA took a hit as the pitcher allowed 12 earned runs on 14 hits.

Saturday featured the Eagles' fifth and sixth straight games in three days' time. At 8-15 overall, Northwestern (4-4 UMAC) will take a needed day of rest before returning to the practice field on Monday to prepare for another conference doubleheader at 3 p.m. on Tuesday against North Central University. UNW should be familiar with Tuesday's game location – East Phillips Park – since Saturday's twin bill was played there.