WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - The University of Northwestern's Softball team opened up the second day of their time in Florida with games against Rhode Island College and Carthage College. They won the first and lost the second, moving them to 3-1 in Florida and 5-5 this season. 

GAME 1 - Rhode Island College Anchorwomen

The Eagles continued their hot start in the hot weather as they beat Rhode Island 9-4.

UNW kept the Anchorwomen scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning. Their defensive effort was highlighted by Ireland Strubbe's (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) strong performance in the circle for six innings, throwing 5 strikeouts and giving up only one earned run. Behind Strubbe, the rest of the defense turned in a nearly perfect day in the field, suffering just one error. The Eagles stranded seven base runners and limited RIC to four runs.

Offensively, the Eagles fired on all cylinders as eight different players scored for their nine total runs. The scoring kicked off in the 4th inning, beginning with a double into left field from Jadyn Iverson (West Fargo, N.D./West Fargo). Reganne Henning (Beatrice, Neb./Beatrice) pinch ran for Iverson, but wasn't on base for long thanks to the big bat of Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine). Edwards launched her first collegiate 2 RBI home run. Three batters later, Kate Trump (Faribault, Minn/Bethlehem Academy) also went yard for her first home run for UNW. Leading 3-0, Northwestern brought home one more run before the close of the inning. Mikayla Gee (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall) singled, then, during Sydney Lane's (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) solid at-bat, stole second. Gee made it home on Lane's single up the middle.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, Rhode Island scored their first run, attempting a comeback. The Eagles answered with five runs in the top of the 6th. With Gee and Trump on second and third base, after a Lane sacrifice bunt, Trista Oberle (Hudson, Wisc./Homeschool) and Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) were hit by pitches to score Trump. Edwards walked, and moved the loaded bases to extend the lead. Bryn Anderson's (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) single, combined with an error, brought in Schoper. Another single from Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello) brought Allison Terry (Blaine, Minn./Blaine), the pinch runner for Edwards, and Iverson home for 2 RBI. The inning ended when Trump grounded out to shortstop, but not before UNW had built a commanding 9-1 lead. Rhode Island scored three additional runs in the final two frames, before the last out was caught by Lane.

Trump and Gee led the Eagles at the plate, going 3-4 and 2-3, respectively. Edwards topped the stat book with 3 RBI, followed closely by Storey with 2 RBI. Emma Morrissey (Wasilla, Alas./Colony) relieved Strubbe for the final inning and closed the game with two earned runs and three hits.

GAME 2 - Carthage College Firebirds

A couple minutes after their win on field B, the Eagles moved across the complex to take on the Firebirds from Carthage College. A late surge by Northwestern threatened a comeback, but the hole was already dug and Carthage hung on for the 6-5 win to spoil UNW's undefeated start in Florida.

The first inning saw just one runner on base after an error, but both teams closed out 0-0. The Firebirds opened the scoring in the top of the second with a 2 RBI double. Down two, the Eagles effectively made it on base, but failed to bring any of the three runners home before the third out of the inning.

Carthage opened the third inning with a single, walk, and three stolen bases to put runners on second and third. Both runners scored to finish the inning. Both teams went three and out in the bottom of the 3rd and top of the 4th. Looking for an answer, Northwestern loaded the bases, but couldn't find a hole to bring the runners around. In the 6th inning, Carthage scored their fifth unanswered run of the day on a fielding error. With the bottom of the 6th and 7th innings still to come, the Eagles rallied with a solid attempt to close the gap.

A 2 RBI single from Schoper brought Gee and Storey home, keeping the Firebirds within reach, up by 3. With the added pressure, Carthage responded with another run to make the score 6-2. In the final inning, Northwestern scored three runs and left one runner on base to fall by just one run. The three runs started with a single from Gee to move Morrissey into scoring position. On a passed ball, Morrissey was able to slide home. Lane hit a 2 RBI single, bringing Gee and Briar Armatoski (Amherst, Wis./Pacelli Catholic) home. After the third out, the Firebirds breathed a sigh of relieve as they stalled the Eagles and maintained their one score lead.

Gee continued her impressive streak from the plate, going 4-4 for the second time this week, while both Schoper and Lane brought in two runners. Emma Heffron (Altoona, Iowa/Grand View Christian) went the distance in the circle with three strikeouts, allowing seven hits and five earned runs.

UNW has one day off before returning to the diamond for another double header against Beloit College and Carroll University on Monday at 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM in Bartow, Florida.