WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -  The University of Northwestern Softball team started their span of ten games during their Florida spring break trip on Friday morning against the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and Allegheny College.

GAME 1: University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Bobcats

Opening the day, the Eagles took on the Bobcats and came ready to play. They stepped onto the field and only allowed one run while scoring nine total runs to start their week in Florida with a win.

Ending the top of the first inning, the Eagles defense left one Greensburg runner on base when they got their third out from a double play. The ball was hit to Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) who scooped a pass to Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall). Stepping on second base, she threw to Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo) completing the catch to close out the inning. On offense, Northwestern went to work right away and made it through their entire batting lineup with only one out. Sydney Lane (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) led off with a double to center field and advanced to third on a single by Kate Beer (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake). After Schoper was walked, the bases stayed loaded through the next three batters. Lane scored the opening run after Iverson made it to base on an interference by the catcher. Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) hit a hard single to right field, bringing Beer home and advancing all the bases. Continuing to up the score, freshman Bryn Anderson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) launched a double into center field for 2 RBI. With the third double of the inning, Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello) also brought home Anderson and Edwards. Up six runs to zero, the final scoring run of the inning came from a sacrifice fly out to right field from Lane, which allowed Storey to cross home plate. 

Anchoring left field, Lane grabbed the first two pop flies to start the second inning. Lane's quick plays were followed by an unassisted put-out by Iverson at first to notch the third out of the second inning, going three up three down. At the plate, the Eagles grabbed one more run, scored by Iverson, off a single to right field from Storey. The inning ended with a score of 8-0)

Going into the third inning, the Eagles continued their strong defensive effort where Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian), in the circle, faced only four batters in this half inning before Schoper caught the third out. Leading off with a double from Lane, UNW looked to score again. Lane made her way to third, but the Bobcats kept the Eagles off home plate for the only inning of the game.   

Leaving one runner on base after a swinging strikeout and two pop flies to Beer in the top of the fourth inning, Northwestern pressed in for the bottom of the inning. UNW scored one final run in the game. Edwards made it to base thanks to a miscommunication by UPG. Edwards rounded the bases after a single from Anderson and a single from Trista Oberle (Hudson, Wisc./Homeschool), and then slid into home plate after tagging up on a sacrifice fly from Trump to center field.

Entering the fifth inning, the Eagles needed three outs to complete the run-rule as they led 9-0. UNW caught two outs the start the inning, but Greensburg went on to put one run on the scoreboard before one final out was flown to Lane in left field.

Strubbe went the length of the five innings and only gave up one run and four hits with one strikeout. Storey was perfect from the plate, going 2-2 with 3 RBI, one double, and one scored run. Lane went 2-2 as well and brought one runner home while hitting two doubles. Also having an impressive opening day in Florida, Anderson hit 2 runners in and knocked a double.

GAME 2 - Allegheny College Gators

In the second game of the day, Northwestern pulled away for the 8-5 win after a back and forth battle against Allegheny.

The Eagles batted first as the away team. After two fly outs to center field, Schoper and Iverson singled and threatened to open up the scoring, but both were stranded after the Gators' second baseman threw Edwards out at first. AC struck first and scored off a sacrifice fly to take the early lead, but thanks to a reaching grab and toss to first from Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian), Allegheny only scored one run in the inning.

With the early deficit, Storey was unshaken as she responded with a massive triple to right field. Up next, Briar Armatoski (Amherst, Wis./Pacelli Catholic) was walked and managed to steal second during Gee's at-bat. Gee slapped a well-placed ball right over the third baseman's reaching glove. Her hit brought Storey home for a tying run and pushed Armatoski to third, who scored on a sacrifice bunt from Lane.

Now leading, UNW closed the second inning with the first out caught by Beer and an unassisted putout by Iverson. Allegheny then saw two runners on base until Armatoski, at third base, fielded a groundball and delivered a perfect throw across the infield to Iverson for the final out of the inning.

UNW increased the lead to 3-1 in the third off a run scored by Schoper. Schoper made it to first on a single that passed by the shortstop and the third baseman. She was then advanced to third due to a double from Iverson. Edwards received the RBI after grounding out to the shortstop, allowing Schoper to make it home. Northwestern continued to dominate in the field and wrapped up the third with a double play by Heffron, who caught the ball off the bat and threw to Iverson before the runner tagged up.

Gee led off the fourth inning and continued her efficient day by placing another ball directly over the infield. The senior stole second, then made it to third on a sacrifice fly from Lane before sprinting and diving home with the help of an overthrown ball. Behind three runs, the Gators figured something out and found the game tying run late in the inning ahead of another impressive throw from Armatoski to first base.

Tied at four, this Northwestern team chipped away and scored in the final three innings of the game. Iverson made it all the way around the diamond after several singles put her in scoring position. On defense, Gee corralled a line drive for the first out, Armatoski made another play to first for the second out, and Schoper grabbed the final out.

The next two runs were scored by Gee and Beer. Gee made it to base off another single that dropped behind the infield. After stealing second, Gee was driven home by Beer's single-turned-double off of a throwing error. Schoper then brought Beer home with a single through the right side. For the final two innings, Maddie Bottineau (Andover, Minn./Andover) relieved Heffron in the circle. Bottineau found her rhythm after one runner was brought home by a double. This was the final run Allegheny scored.

In the last inning of the day, Storey rounded the bases for the Eagles' last run once Armatoski was walked, Gee singled, and Schoper singled. After the third out and up three runs, UNW needed three outs of their own. The first out was picked up by Schoper and thrown to Iverson. The second and third outs came at the arm of Bottineau who delivered a clutch strikeout then caught the final pop fly to secure the two game sweep on day one.

Pitching five innings, Heffron allowed five hits and four runs with one strike out. Bottineau allowed one hit, one run, and threw one strikeout in the two innings she pitched. At the plate, Gee, Iverson, and Schoper delivered excellent performances. Gee went 4-4 with two stolen bases while also tallying one RBI. Schoper went 4-5 with 2 RBI, and Iverson went 3-4 with 10 putouts and no errors on defense.

As a team, throughout the afternoon, Northwestern scored in nine of their 11 innings and scored 17 runs. They will look to build on this momentum against Rhode Island College and Carthage College tomorrow morning--Saturday, March 8--starting at 8:00 AM (9:00 AM ET) at the Diamond Plex Facility in Winter Haven, Florida.