Clermont, FL –– The University of Northwestern Eagles softball team (2-4) started off their Florida trip with a split. In game one, they beat Thomas College Terriers (2-10) 5-4 on a walk-off. In game two, they lost to the Dominican University Stars (9-1) 6-1.
Game One
The Eagles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) recorded a one-out single before she stole second and advanced to third on an error. Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) followed with a walk and stole second to make it second and third and one-out for Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo). Iverson recorded a two-run double to left-center and she came around to score on Gabrielle Keith's (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) double.
Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) was dominant in the circle, as she recorded 12 outs of the first 13 hitters she faced. The Terriers threatened for the first time in the top of the fifth, as they loaded the bases, but Heffron got a ground ball to Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Marian) to get out of the frame.
The Eagles carried that momentum over to the bottom of the fifth as Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) recorded a two-out triple to right-center. She scored on a passed ball to make it 4-0 Eagles.
In the top of the seventh, the Terriers managed to tie the game at 4 thanks to four hits and an error to set up the heroics in the bottom of the seventh. Terry led off the frame with a single and she stole second. Iverson advanced her to third on a single to right before Lindsey Dvorak (Richmond, Minn./ROCORI) recorded a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles their second win of the season.
Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) pitched five no-hit innings while striking out five and walking three. Jenna Nusbaum (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) got five outs before Maddie Bottineau (Andover, Minn./Andover) got the final out of the seventh.
Terry went 2-4 with two runs scored, and Iverson went 3-3 with two RBIs.
Game Two
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) got the start for the Eagles in the circle in game two and worked out of an early jam with a runner on third and only one out in the bottom of the first. The Stars capitalized the next time though in the bottom of the third as they scored three two-out runs to take the early lead.
Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) and Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo) continued their hot days at the plate in the top of the fourth, as Terry led off with a single. She moved to second on Kate Beer's (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) sacrifice bunt and scored on Iverson's single to make it 3-1 Stars. Dominican scratched a run across in the bottom half of the frame to again give themselves a three-run lead. Two more runs came across in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-1 Stars.
The Eagles only recorded four hits in game two as Iverson had two hits, and Terry and Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) both contributed one.
Strubbe threw the first four innings and gave up four runs while striking out three. Nusbaum and Bottineau again followed in relief as Nusbaum got four outs and Bottineau the final two.
Up Next
The Eagles continue their Florida trip with another doubleheader on Saturday, March 9th. Game one is against Nebraska Wesleyan at 9:15 AM ET. Game two is against Carroll University at 11:30 AM ET. Follow unweagles.com for more information.
