NEW ULM, Minn. – The University of Northwestern softball team closed out its final Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) doubleheader with a sweep of Martin Luther College Friday at the MLC Softball Field. The Eagles held on, 3-2, in game one before picking up a 9-3 victory in Friday's second game.
UNW evens its season mark at 19-19 and moves to 13-3 in loop play, while MLC falls to 8-19 overall and 5-11 in league contests.
Game One
UNW did all of its damage in the first three innings and
Lauren Silbernick (Osakis, Minn./Osakis) hurled a complete-game to lift the Eagles to their 18th win of the season.
Megan Threlkeld (Burnsville, Minn./Burnsville) came around to score in the top of the first to give UNW an early 1-0 advantage.
Ellen Larkin (Excelsior, Minn./Southwest Christian) helped UNW extend its lead to 3-0 in the top of the third, lacing a two-run double. Threlkeld led the offense in game one, tallying a pair of hits, while also scoring twice.
The Knights made things interesting, plating a run in the sixth inning and another in the seventh, but Silbernick closed the door to pick up her 11th win of the season in the circle. She surrendered just two runs on seven hits.
Game Two
Leading 2-0 through five innings of play, UNW put a five-spot on the board in the top of the sixth to put the game out of reach.
Jennifer Ankrom (New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton), who had a big day at the plate, drove in the Eagles' first two runs. The junior finished 3-for-5 with three RBI.
In UNW's big sixth inning,
Ann Lokke (St. Francis, Minn./St. Francis) highlighted the scoring, delivering a two-run single. Lokke also added an RBI double in the seventh.
Meghan Schroeder (Big Lake, Minn./Spectrum) went the distance in the circle, allowing just three runs, while striking out three.
Lokke,
Ellen Larkin (Excelsior, Minn./Southwest Christian),
Morgan Pfaff (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) and
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) all finished with two hits apiece at the plate.
The Eagles will wrap up their regular season with a non-conference doubleheader with Hamline University Monday at Reynolds Field. First pitch in game one is slated for 4 p.m. Fans can find more information at
www.unweagles.com.