ST. PAUL, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Softball team earned the right to host the NCCAA North Central Regional Championship game on Wednesday thanks to a strong regular season. The Eagles ended their season falling 2-1 and 2-0 to Hannibal-LaGrange.
Game One
Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West), pitching in what would be her final pitching performance for the Eagles, was fantastic in the circle. The Trojans from Hannibal-LaGrange were able to get two runs off of the senior in the top of the first inning thanks to some softly hit singles and a wild pitch. However, from the second inning on, Carlson pitched really well. The Trojans would only muster five hits off of the Eagle pitcher in the contest, and would not score again after the first inning. Carlson finished the game with five strikeouts.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, the pitching they faced was as equally tough. The Eagles had six hits in the game but really struggled to deliver the big hits they needed to knock those runners in. In the sixth inning, trailing 2-0, the Eagles finally got the big hit they had been looking for all game long.
Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Central Methodist) hit a single to centerfield that scored Carlson and the Eagles cut the deficit to 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, trailing by a single run, the Eagles put a threat together.
Maggie Oehlerking (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) led things off with a single and then reached third base thanks to a bunt from
Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) and a groundout from
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian).
Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) would then draw a walk to reach first base. The Eagles had the tying run on third and the winning run on first with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but were not able to get them home. The side was retired via strikeout and the Eagles lost 2-1.
Game Two
If you were able to watch both games of this series, you would have felt like you had déjà vu. The second game was extremely similar and followed the same script as the opening game. Once again, despite giving up a first inning run, the Eagles got a great starting pitching performance. This time it was
Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) who pitched extremely well for UNW. The Trojans got a run off of her in the first, but after that, she was nearly perfect. Heffron would pitch six innings and only give up three hits while picking up two strikeouts. With the season on the line in an elimination game, the freshman pitcher was up to the task, pitching one of the best games of her young career.
However, similar to the first game, the Eagles' offense could not come up with that one run scoring hit they needed. The Eagles had some chances, picking up five hits, but were shutout in the game.
The Eagles best chance to score came in the sixth inning.
Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Wheaton College) was hit by a pitch and was on first base. There were two outs and
Telma Roesler (Hastings, Minn./Crown College) came up to the plate. Roesler laced one to right centerfield and Bentley flew around third base heading for home. It took a perfect throw from right field, and a nice sweeping tag from the catcher, but Bentley was called out on a close play at the plate. The Eagles remained scoreless, and the game ended 2-0.
The Eagles finish their impressive 2022 season 23-15 and were 17-4 in UMAC regular season play. UNW will say goodbye to three terrific seniors:
Briggs Carlson (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West),
Telma Roesler (Hastings, Minn./Crown College), and
Hannah Woodworth (Panora, Iowa/Panorama). These three have been excellent players, but more importantly excellent representatives of UNW Softball off the field. The future is bright for the Eagles in 2023 as they often times had eight first year players in their lineup this season and will have many players back for next season.
