SUPERIOR, Wis.- The University of Northwestern Softball team is locked in a tight, four way battle for seeding in the upcoming UMAC Postseason Tournament. One of those teams that the Eagles are battling with was their opponent in Saturday's doubleheader. Northwestern and Wisconsin-Superior played two on the north shore on Saturday and the Eagles dropped game one 6-5 before picking up a 9-1 win in game two.
Game One
The Eagles jumped out to an early lead in Superior. In the top of the first,
Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Marian) tucked a single down the right field line that scored
Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) and
Reganne Henning (Beatrice, Neb./Beatrice).
Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian), UNW's starter in the circle, pitched a scoreless first inning in large part thanks to her catcher
Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star). Lundt threw out to runners attempting to steal second base in the frame. The Eagles held a 2-0 lead after a single inning of play.
The Yellowjackets countered in the second inning. After UNW went down in order in the top half, UWS hit a solo home run in the bottom half. UNW's lead was cut to one.
Superior's home run in the bottom of the second inning went out to left field. Which means, it sailed over the head of the Eagles' left fielder
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian). As Lane was watching that ball sail over her head, she decided that it might be more fun to hit one herself. Luckily for her (and the Eagles) she led off the top of the third. And she did just that. Lane hit her second home run of the year; a solo shot to start the third. This would not be the last home run the Eagles would hit on the north shore on Saturday.
Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) scored another run for the Eagles before the third inning was over and UNW's lead had grown to 4-1.
Wisconsin-Superior tied the game in the fourth inning. They used two RBI singles in the frame to score three runs and knot the game up at four runs apiece.
The fifth inning was an eventful one for both sides.
Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star) hit an RBI single for the Eagles to give her team the lead. However, in the home half of the frame, the Yellowjackets hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie and then take the lead. UNW would not score again and dropped the opener 6-5.
Megan Lundt (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star) and
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) each led the Eagles with three hits in the game.
Jenna Nusbaum (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) was Northwestern's most effective pitcher in the contest; throwing one and two thirds innings of shutout relief.
Game Two
The Eagles only needed six innings to finish off the Yellowjackets in game two; and in hindsight, they really only needed one. UNW scored six runs in the top of the first inning to take a commanding lead that they would never relinquish.
The scoring started when
Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) and
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) came around to score on
Megan Lundt's (Frisco, Texas/Lone Star) two run double.
Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) followed that up by bringing Lundt in with an RBI single to right centerfield. The biggest swing of the inning (and the game) came from the bat of
Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock). Keith launched a three run blast over the right field wall, displaying her incredible power by going to the opposite field. This home run gave the Eagles a 6-0 lead and put them on the brink of history in multiple different categories. The three run blast was Keith's eighth of the season which puts her one long ball away from tying the program record for single season home runs. It was also the Eagles' 20
th home run as a team this season which ties them with the 2011 team for second most in program history. The 2004 team has the record with 21 home runs in a season.
Grace Bentley (Omaha, Neb./Marian) added an RBI single in the second inning. In the sixth inning,
Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) drove in a run with a double and later scored on a wild pitch.
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) was sensational in the circle on her way to collecting her eighth win of the season. She pitched a complete game, six innings, gave up four hits, allowed a single run, and had five strikeouts. The Eagles won the contest 9-1.
Up Next
Due to weather conditions in Superior this weekend, the Eagles and the Yellowjackets are scheduled to finish their three game series on Tuesday, April 30
th at 1:00 PM.
