ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Softball Team got a surprise home doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. They were originally scheduled to play at Stout, but the game was moved to Reynolds Field due to the field conditions in Wisconsin. As the visitor team on the scoreboard, the Eagles went to work in the first game, winning game one 14-4. The second game proved challenging for the Northwestern offense, finishing 2-10 in a five-inning game.
GAME ONE:
UNW got off to a slow start and struggled to make contact with the softball in the opening two innings, with five of the six opening batters striking out while swinging. During the Northwestern offensive slump, UW-Stout opened with two runs in the first inning and one in the third.
Unfazed by the three-run deficit,
Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) led off with a single in the top of the fourth, followed by singles from
Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) and
Bryn Anderson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) to score her.
Trista Oberle (Hudson, Wis./Homeschool) brought home Edwards, and the tying run was scored by Anderson, who took advantage of a passed ball.
Unw tacked on two more runs in the fifth to take the lead. The inning opened with a walk for Schoper and a single from
Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock), who pinch hit for
Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello). Storey then re-entered to run the bases. With Schoper on third and Storey on second, Anderson hit a gapper up the middle to score them both.
The Eagles were quiet on the scoreboard in the sixth inning, despite a double from
Kate Trump (Faribault, Minn/Bethlehem Academy) to open the inning. However, Northwestern lit it up in the seventh inning, plating nine runs on 11 hits. Storey got them started with a one RBI home run. Edwards and Anderson followed with singles, and
Emma Westrate (Fall Creek, Wis./Fall Creek) entered on the basepaths for Edwards. With another single from Oberle, the Eagles juiced the bases for the DP,
Jenna Nusbaum (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park). She advanced the bases with a single to left field.
Stout was able to tag Anderson at home, while Trump made it to first, keeping runners on all bases. Three consecutive singles from
Kate Van Ess (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg Casco),
Hannah Lexvold (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake Area), and Schoper scored three consecutive runs, bringing the score to 10-3. A sacrifice fly from Storey scored Van Ess, and a double from Edwards scored Lexvold and Schoper. Oberle brought home the final Eagle run with a single to centerfield to plate Edwards. The Blue Devils added two runs in the final frame to bring the score to 14-5.
Every UNW player with an at-bat finished with a hit, led by Anderson going 4-5 with two RBI. Edwards finished 3-4 with two RBI. Schoper was 2-4 at the plate with one RBI. Oberle and Trump were 2-5 with two RBI and one RBI, respectively. Storey tallied two RBI, and Nusbaum, Van Ess, and Lexvold had one RBI.
In the circle,
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) got the start, pitching the first two innings, striking out one batter, and allowing three earned runs.
Emma Morrissey (Wasilla, Alas./Colony) entered in the third as relief and pitched the final five innings, allowing just one earned run and delivering one strikeout.
GAME TWO:
In a similar fashion to the first couple of innings in game one, the Eagles struggled to score runs. However, unlike game one, they were unable to swing out of the rut, falling 2-10 in a five-inning game.
Stout started with the best momentum builder, thanks to a grand slam in the opening frame, and was able to add five more runs by the end of the second inning. Trailing 0-9, UNW scored its first run in the fourth inning. A pair of walks and a single loaded the bases and put Edwards on third for Trump's hit to bring her the rest of the way.
In the top of the fifth, Lexvold opened the inning with a double. Morrissey pinch ran for Lexvold and scored on Storey's double, bringing the Eagles within seven of the Blue Devils. In the bottom half of the inning, Stout's lead-off hitter hit home run to secure the run-rule over Northwestern.
Lexvold and Nusbaum each went 1-2 at the plate, while Storey and Anderson were 1-3 for all four of UNW's hits. Trump and Storey recorded the two total RBI. In the circle,
Addisyn Hansen (Tea, S.D./Tea Area) got the start, pitching through the first out, surrendering four earned runs. Strubbe then entered for the next 1.2 innings with one walk and five earned runs. Nusbaum finished the final two innings, allowing one earned run.
The Eagles have a quick turnaround and play tomorrow, April 15, at 4:00 PM on Reynolds Field. They will take on the Rams from North Central University in their makeup game from the series in March.
