St. Paul, Minn. –– The University of Northwestern softball team (11-19, 6-4 UMAC) split with Bethany Lutheran College (12-12, 5-1 UMAC) on Wednesday afternoon. The Vikings won game one 3-0 before the Eagles won game two 3-2 thanks to a three-run seventh inning.

Game One
Northwestern's best scoring chance came in the bottom of the second. Shelby Stoll (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo), the reigning NCCAA player of the week, led off the frame with a walk. She stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball with no one out. The Vikings were able to weasel their way out and left her stranded on third to keep the score tied.

The Vikings put up three runs in the top of the fourth, thanks to three straight doubles. Besides that, neither team could generate very much offense. Northwestern had first and second with two outs in both the fourth and fifth, but they were left stranded in both innings.

Samantha Burkhart (Salix, Iowa/Westwood) got the start in the circle and she gave up two earned runs in four innings of work. Diana Boyce (Phoenix, Ariz./Park City) pitched the final three innings and kept Northwestern in the game. Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland), Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area), and Stoll each reached base twice for the Eagles.

Game Two

Game two started much how game one went with both pitchers putting up zeroes. That changed in the top of the third when Bethany Lutheran hit a solo home run to take the 1-0 lead. Courtney Schmidt (Spring Valley, Minn/Kingsland) recorded the Eagles' first hit with a one-out single in the fourth and the Eagles put runners on the corners, but could not capitalize. Bethany added a run in the fifth to make it 2-0.

Northwestern saved all of their offense for when it mattered most: the bottom of the seventh. Ellie Ronning (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria Area) led off with a sharp single to right field, and she came all the way around to score on Telma Roesler's (Hastings, Minn./Crown College) ringing double to left-center field. Shelby Stoll (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) hit a single back up the middle and moved the tying run 60 feet away. Hannah Woodworth (Panora, Iowa/Panorama) reached on a fielder's choice before Diana Boyce (Phoenix, Ariz./Park City) hit a soft chopper towards the shortstop. Roesler broke for the plate and scored on a bad throw to tie the game at 2 as Woodworth raced all the way to third. Hailey Hansen (Elbow Lake, Minn./West Central Area) did the rest and brought her home with a bloop single to left to walk it off in the final home game of the regular season.

Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) pitched all seven innings and dominated the Bethany Lutheran lineup. She scattered four hits while only giving up four hits and two earned runs.

Up Next

Northwestern travels to Ashland, Wisconsin to take on Northland College on Saturday, April 24th. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

Follow Northwestern softball online at www.unweagles.com or on Instagram @unwsoftball.