ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern softball team swept Martin Luther College in Thursday afternoon conference softball action to record their third and fourth straight wins. The Eagles downed the Knights 4-3 in game one on a
Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) walk-off hit and took over in game two with a 5-1 victory.
The Eagles improve to 18-14 on the year and 7-5 in the UMAC, to sit in fourth place in the conference standings. Martin Luther falls to 7-17 on the year, 3-9 in league play.
Game 1: Northwestern 4, Martin Luther 3
It was Martin Luther who got off to a hot start in game one, scoring three runs in just the first two innings. The Knights lead was jumpstarted by a two-run homer in the top half of the first.
The Eagles earned one run back in the bottom half of the second when
Kayla Hannasch (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) doubled to left field to score
Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy). Three scoreless innings followed as UNW still trailed by two heading into the bottom of the sixth.
This time it was
Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) who doubled to left field, scoring
Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) to pull UNW within one. Down by one in the bottom of seven,
Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) grounded out to the infield, but batted
Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) home to tie it up at 3-3.
Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) followed with a walk-off single to left, scoring
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) for the game winner.
The Eagles put together nine hits led by
Megan Aasness (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Academy) and
Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) with two apiece.
Lexi Kopacek (Willmar, Minn./Willmar) started on the mound and threw seven complete, allowing five hits and just two earned runs to record her ninth win this season.
Game 2: Northwestern 5, Martin Luther 1
The Eagles kept their momentum going in game two, scoring in the first inning when
Kayla Madison (North Branch, Minn./Forest Lake) singled to center field to score
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins).
The purple and gold added two more runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 5-0 lead.
Faith Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Vallley-Watkins) jumpstarted the run, knocking a homer over the center field fence. Madison followed up with her second RBI of the game on a double to left center.
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) drove in both runs in the fourth inning on a double to right center.
MLC earned one run back in the top of the seventh, but it was too little too late. Northwestern recorded eight hits to the Knights' two with
Abbie Nelson (Holdrege, Neb./Holdrege) in the circle.
The junior threw seven complete, allowing just one run, two hits and striking out four after facing 25 batters. The win marked Nelson's fifth this season.
Mindy Forcier (Watkins, Minn./Eden Valley-Watkins) led UNW at the plate in the series, going 4-for-7 with three runs, two doubles, two RBIs and four stolen bases. Forcier sits in fourth place in all-time steals at Northwestern.
The Eagles will return to action on Monday, April 22 when they travel to Eau Claire, Wis. to take on the Blugolds. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
