ST. PAUL, Minn. - The University of Northwestern Softball Team delivered a crazy fourth inning in its game against North Central that was originally scheduled in March. After three scoreless innings, the team found a groove, scoring 10 runs on just five hits, three of them home runs. With the 10-0 lead heading into the fifth inning, the Eagles collected the final three outs for the five-inning run-rule to remain unbeaten in conference play.
The first three and a half innings went by quickly with only three recorded hits, all from North Central. With the score deadlocked at zero, the Eagles grabbed hold of the momentum and went to work in the bottom of the fourth.
In the frame, all but one run was scored via home runs. This team has now left the single-season record in the dust with 31 homers on the year. The first long ball came after
Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) reached first on a hit by pitch;
Kate Trump (Faribault, Minn/Bethlehem Academy) hit a ball deep over the left-center field wall to score two. Back-to-back doubles from
Kate Van Ess (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg Casco) and
Hannah Lexvold (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake Area) scored another run.
Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) and
Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello) walked to load the bases for
Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine). Edwards, who is currently leading the team and the UMAC in home runs, did what seems to come so naturally and launched the ball deep over the left field wall for her second career grand slam in a Northwestern uniform. The junior now has nine on the season. With the seven-run advantage, UNW passed the bat, going through the rest of the batting order, bringing Trump back up to bat.
Bryn Anderson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) and Keith made it on base with an error and a walk for Trump to go back-to-back with another home run. She is now tied for second on the team with six HRs this season.
With the 10-0 lead, UNW was three outs away from the run-rule. North Central got two runners on base before the Eagles shut the door with a final strikeout from
Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian).
Trump finished 2-3 at the plate with two home runs and 5 RBI, Edwards was 1-3 with her grand slam, and freshmen Van Ess and Lexvold each were 1-2 with doubles and one RBI for Lexvold. Strubbe held down the fort in the circle for all five innings. She recorded six strikeouts and four hits for the shutout and her ninth win of the season.
UNW has its conference bye week this week, for a break until April 22, when they head up to Superior, Wisconsin, for their next challenge against the Yellowjackets. The double header will be played on Wednesday at 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. They will then play the single on Thursday at 12:00 PM.
