Clermont, FL –– The University of Northwestern Eagles softball team (5-5) won both games on Monday in Florida. They beat the Washington College Shorewomen (3-6-1) 9-5. They then came back to defeat the Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors (1-5) 6-5.
Game One
The Shorewomen jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. They utilized a lead-off walk, error, sacrifice bunt, and sacrifice fly to scratch across the two runs. The Eagles immediately responded with a two-run top of the second. Gabrielle Kieth recorded her first of four RBI's on the day as she brought home Cierra Moore (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake), who was pinch running for Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine). Maggie Oehlerking (Farmington, Minn./Farmington) singled to score Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Marian) to tie the game.
Washington College recaptured the lead in the bottom of the third as they made it 4-2 thanks to three Northwestern errors, one hit, and one walk. The Eagles put up a four spot in the top of the fifth to retake the lead for good. Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) reached on an error to start the inning before Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) and Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) both reached on a single to load the bases. Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) drew a walk to score Gee and Lane followed on a passed ball. Iverson scored Terry via a sacrifice fly and Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) brought Beer across the plate when she reached on the Shorewomen's second error of the inning.
Northwestern added a seventh run in the top of the sixth as Iverson drew a bases loaded walk. In the bottom of the sixth, the Shorewomen recorded three straight singles to load the bases and got one run across on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-5. Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) came in in relief in the circle and got the next two outs to preserve the lead.
Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) made sure to put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, as she smacked a two-run homer to left to make it 9-5.
The Eagles recorded 14 hits as Terry, Keith, and Oehlerking all had three. Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) pitched the first 5.1 innings and gave up five runs (only one earned) and struck out four. Edwards got the final five outs and her first collegiate save.
Game Two
The Warriors jumped out to an early lead in game two. They scored twice in the top of the first on a hit by pitch, double, and single. The Eagles responded as Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) reached on an error to start the frame. She moved to second on Allison Terry's (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) infield single and both runners moved up on Kate Beer's (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) sacrifice bunt. Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo) brought Lane home on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead in half but Terry was left stranded on second.
Both teams had chances to score, but it took until the top of the fifth until someone did. A lead-off double and single put runners on the corners. A dropped fly ball brought one run across but the second was cut down at the plate to keep the score 3-1 Warriors.
The Eagles carried that momentum over to the bats in the bottom half of the frame. Riley Summers (Fontana, Wis./Big Foot) led off with a single before a Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) walk and Lane single loaded the bases. Terry grounded into a fielder's choice as Summers was forced out at the plate but Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) drew a walk to bring home Gee. Terry and Lane both scored on a wild pitch to give the Eagles the lead and Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Marian) brought Beer home to make it 5-3.
The Warriors tied it in the top of the sixth as an RBI ground-out and passed ball made it 5-5. Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) had more heroics in her, though, as she led off the bottom of the sixth with a homer to left-center to give Northwestern the 6-5 lead. Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) shut down the Warriors offense in the seventh to record her first collegiate win.
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) got the start in the circle and gave up four earned runs in her five innings of work. Edwards pitched the final two innings and only gave up one hit. The Eagles had seven hits. Six of the nine starters had a hit.
Up Next
The Eagles play Lake Forest College on Tuesday, March 12th. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET. After that, they will take on Ripon College with first pitch at 6:30 PM ET. Follow unweagles.com for more information.
