CLERMONT, Fla. – The University of Northwestern softball team kicked off play at the 2019 Spring Games Friday morning when the Eagles faced Monmouth College and Alvernia University in a pair of non-conference tilts. The Eagles split in the spring break opener, defeating Monmouth 9-3 before falling to Alvernia, 6-0. Northwestern moves to 4-2 on the year and will take the field for eight more games in the next six days in sunny central Florida.
 
Game 1: Northwestern 9, Monmouth 3
The Eagles kicked off the week with a bang, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning on a pair of hits by Kayla Hannasch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) and Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland).
 
The Scots of Monmouth earned one run back in the second before Northwestern's offense took over. The Eagles added three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and three more in the sixth to go up 9-1.
 
The fourth inning surge was instigated by Taylor Ehnstrom (Aitkin, Minn./Aitkin), who led off with a single through the left side. Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege) singled to advance Ehnstrom before Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) brought her home on a sacrifice fly. Kayla Hannasch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) and Kayla Madison (North Branch, Minn./Forest Lake) put together back to back RBI's to top off the productive inning.
 
Hannash and Madison led Northwestern offensively, each recording three hits in the win. Hannasch scored a team-best three runs.
 
Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege) and Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) both drove in two runs, while Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland), Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) and Nelson all had a pair of hits. The Eagles put together 14 total in the game.
 
Nelson started in the circle for Northwestern and pitched the complete game – giving up just three hits after facing 32 batters.
 
Game 2: Alvernia 6, Northwestern 0
The Eagles were right back at it at 11:15 a.m. to take on Alvernia in just the third ever meeting between the two teams. Northwestern fell to the solid Golden Wolves squad who capitalized on a series of tough infield errors.
 
Both teams were scoreless through three complete innings of play before Alvernia homered to take a 1-0 lead. The Wolves tacked on four more runs in the fifth inning (all unearned and with two outs on the board) to dig the Eagles into a deeper deficit.
 
Despite falling in a 6-0 final, Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) and Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) posted back-to-back singles in the bottom of the seventh in a last chance effort. Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) was the third Eagle to single in the contest.
 
Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) pitched five complete innings before being relieved by Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West). Kopacek gave up six hits, but just one earned run in the loss. Carlson pitched two innings, allowing three hits and a run.
 
Northwestern will return to action on Saturday morning when they take on Wartburg and Finlandia. The games will take place at Legends #5. Follow the games online via live stats HERE.