KISSIMMEE, Fla.- The University of Northwestern Softball team wrapped up their annual Spring trip to Florida on Thursday by squaring off with the La Roche University Redhawks. Despite getting off to a slow start, the Eagles won decisively 11-2 to finish their Florida trip above .500 at 5-4 (6-5 overall).
The Redhawks were red hot to start the game, picking up a run and the lead in the first inning off of an RBI single to left field. They would add another run in the second inning that scored off of an Eagle error to take a 2-0 lead.
However, from the third inning on, it was all Eagles.
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) was the Eagle pitcher and after the two early runs surrendered (only one of them an earned run) she was lights out. The freshman pitched a complete game going all six innings, gave up only four hits, picked up six strikeouts, and did not give up a run after the second inning.
UNW's offense was equally as impressive in the batter's box as Strubbe was in the circle. The Eagles' offense produced runs in each of the final four frames to win the game in six innings.
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) started the scoring in the third inning when she cut the Redhawks' lead in half with a ground ball single up the middle to score
Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake). UNW still trailed 2-1 entering the fourth inning.
In the fourth inning the Eagles would claim the lead and would not look back.
Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock),
Maggie Oehlerking (Farmington, Minn./Farmington), and
Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) all hit RBI singles on their way to a three run fourth inning. The Eagles would score three more runs in the fifth inning thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Central Methodist) and another Oehlerking RBI base hit, this one scoring two runs.
Now leading the game 7-2, the Eagles would put the nail in the coffin in the sixth and final frame by scoring four insurance runs to end the game.
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) scored on an RBI single by jadyn Iverson, Iverson along with
Riley Summers (Fontana, Wis./Big Foot) would score on a single by
Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Wheaton College), and Bentley would come around to score on an RBI single by
Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake). The game would end with a final score of 11-2.
Up Next
The Eagles will depart Florida after a successful trip in 2023 and will begin preparing for more contests that will take place back in the Midwest. UNW will have over a week to prepare for their next contests when they host Buena Vista University in a doubleheader at Reynolds Field on Saturday, March 18
th. The games will be the Eagles' home opener.
