CLERMONT, Fla. - The University of Northwestern Softball Team closed out its Florida trip by splitting its final two games, falling in a heartbreaking extra-inning battle to Marywood University before bouncing back with a dominant shutout over Curry College.

GAME ONE - MARYWOOD UNIVERSITY PACERS

The opening game was all Northwestern until the seventh inning. UNW held a 7-2 lead for the majority of the game, before a late kick from the Pacers forced extra innings. 

Marywood struck first with two runs in the top of the first, but Northwestern wasted no time responding, and came out swinging, putting together a big offensive start with five runs in the opening inning and two more in the second. Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) sparked the offense with a triple to start the rally. Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello) followed with a walk and quickly stole second. A wild pitch allowed Schoper to race home while Storey advanced to third. Kate Van Ess (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg Casco) then mirrored Storey's at-bat with a walk and a stolen base. Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) drove in Storey, and Bryn Anderson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) added another run with a single that scored Van Ess. Trista Oberle (Hudson, Wis./Homeschool) reached base before Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) delivered a double that brought Anderson home. Oberle later scored the fifth run of the inning on a hit from Jenna Nusbaum (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park).

Northwestern kept the pressure on in the second inning. Schoper reached base again and stole second before advancing to third on a single from Storey. The duo executed a double steal, with Schoper swiping home to add another run. Anderson later drove in Storey with a hit to center field to give the Eagles a 7-2 lead.

The Eagles cooled off offensively over the next few innings but added an insurance run in the sixth to stretch the lead to 8-2. Marywood mounted a late rally in the seventh inning, scoring six runs to tie the game at eight and force extra innings. With the international tiebreaker rule in effect, the Pacers began the eighth with a runner on second and capitalized, scoring the ghost runner along with another run to take a 10-8 lead.

Northwestern answered in the bottom half with Kacey Boschetti (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) starting on second. Back-to-back clutch hits from Nusbaum and Hannah Lexvold (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake Area) brought Boschetti around to score. The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs and had a chance to walk it off, but Marywood managed to escape the inning, handing UNW a narrow 10-9 loss.

Anderson led the Eagles at the plate, going 3-4 with two RBI and a double. Schoper nearly hit for the cycle with a single, double, and triple while adding an RBI and two stolen bases. Nusbaum also contributed with two hits and an RBI. In the circle, Nusbaum threw 1.1 innings in relief, allowing one earned run. She entered for starter Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian), who pitched the first six innings before returning to record the final two outs. Strubbe struck out seven batters while allowing five earned runs.

GAME TWO – CURRY COLLEGE COLONELS

Northwestern responded in a big way in the final game of the day, using steady offense and strong pitching to secure a 7-0 shutout victory.

The Eagles threatened early and broke through in the first inning. Schoper drew a walk and moved around the bases on the next two hits before  Edwards delivered a single that brought her home. UNW extended the lead in the fourth inning. Nusbaum started the rally with a single that she stretched into a double. Emma Westrate (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek) followed with a walk, and a Curry error allowed Nusbaum to score. Anderson then delivered a single that drove Westrate home, pushing the Eagles' lead to three.

In the sixth inning, Storey worked a walk to start things off before Anderson crushed a first-pitch hit deep into the outfield to bring her all the way around the bases. Northwestern added the finishing touches in the seventh. After Van Ess and Nusbaum reached base, the Eagles delivered two consecutive doubles. Westrate's double plated both runners, and Schoper followed with another double that brought Westrate home to seal the 7-0 win.

Nusbaum capped off an impressive day at the plate, going 3-4 with two runs scored. Schoper and Anderson each finished 2-4, with Schoper recording two doubles and an RBI while Anderson drove in two runs. Emma Morrissey (Wasilla, Alas./Colony) earned her first collegiate start in the circle and delivered the Eagles' first shutout of the season. The junior tossed a complete-game six-inning performance, striking out two and allowing just five hits to come away with her first win of the season.

The Eagles return to the field back in Minnesota, weather permitting, on March 18 for their home and conference opener against North Central University. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 PM.