ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Northwestern softball team welcomed St. Scholastica to Reynolds Field for a pair of Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) contests Monday afternoon. The Eagles scored five runs on 10 hits to down the Saints, 5-2 in game one, before falling in a 5-4 (10-inning) game two battle.
The Eagles move to 14-14 overall and 4-4 in the UMAC. Scholastica also holds an even mark, sitting at 13-13 on the year, 5-3 in the UMAC. Bethany Lutheran and UW-Superior are tied at the top of the conference standings, both undefeated through eight games played.
Game 1: Northwestern 5, Scholastica 2
The Saints were quick to get on the board, scoring two runs in the top of the first on a two-run homer. The Eagles earned one run back in the bottom half of the inning and tied it up in the bottom of three when
Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) laid down a perfect bunt and speedy
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) scored, despite the play at home.
The Eagles took the lead in the fourth when
Kayla Hannasch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) hit an RBI single to center field to score
Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy).
Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege) sealed the win with a monstrous two-run homerun in the fifth, securing the final at 5-2. The homerun marked Nelson's fourth this season, the second most in the UMAC.
Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) was in the circle for UNW. The sophomore threw the complete seven innings, allowing just five hits and two runs. Kopacek improved to 7-6 on the year.
A trio of Eagles recorded multiple hits in the contest including
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins),
Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) and
Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege). Forcier went 2-for-2 with a two runs scored, a walk and two stolen bases.
Game 2: Scholastica 5, Northwestern 4
After an action packed first inning, the Saints held a 2-1 lead and extended it to 3-1 in the top of the third. After five scoreless innings for the Eagles,
Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) came through with a clutch two-run homerun to tie it up at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
A scoreless eighth and ninth inning came and went before international tiebreaker rules took effect. With a runner placed on second, the Saints loaded the bases and got two across before the Eagles retired the rest.
Northwestern put together a noble effort of their own, scoring once on a ground ball RBI from
Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy), but ultimately fell short, falling in the bottom of the 10th inning, 5-4.
Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) had an impressive showing in the circle, throwing nine complete innings and allowing just seven hits and two earned runs in the loss.
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) tacked on two more hits in the game. The senior went 4-for-7 at the plate with three stolen bases in the doubleheader.
Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) also recorded two hits in the game. She posted a team-best three RBIs.
The Eagles will return to action Tuesday when they travel to St. Bonifacius. First pitch against Crown is slated for 3:30 p.m.
