GRAPEVINE, Tex. - After a long travel day and a fun service project and banquet on Sunday, the University of Northwestern Softball team opened its run towards an NCCAA National Championship at 1:30 PM on Monday. The Texas heat, humidity, and wind didn't seem to affect UNW as the Eagles never trailed against Arlington Baptist in the opening game. Northwestern beat the Patriots 5-2 to advance in the winners' bracket to take on the Eagles of Southwest Christian University. In the second game, they fell behind in the first inning, tied it in the fifth, and blew it open in the seventh to win 9-3.
GAME ONE: ARLINGTON BAPTIST PATRIOTS
The first game was record-breaking for the Eagles, as they broke six program records through the seven innings. This game marked the 45th game of the season, which is the most games ever played by the UNW Softball team in a season.
Both Bryn Anderson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) and Emma Edwards (Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) outlasted full counts and walked with the fourth ball to start the first inning, but were both left on base. Two strikeouts for Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) ended the bottom half of the inning to secure the UNW single-season record for innings pitched for Strubbe.
In the top of the second inning, Gabrielle Keith (Marble Rock, Iowa/Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock) scored the first run of the game. She led off with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Trista Oberle (Hudson, Wis./Homeschool). Freshman Hannah Lexvold (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake Area) then earned the RBI with a single to right field.
In the third, Hannah Storey (Big Lake, Minn./Monticello) took a four-pitch walk, and Anderson pushed her to second by dropping the ball right over the infield. Edwards also got on base with a bunt to load the bases. Keith then launched a laser up the middle to score Storey. Arlington tagged Anderson out at home on Oberle's hit for the second out, but the bases remained juiced. Lexvold hit the ball deep in the infield, forcing an error, to reach first and score Edwards and the Eagles' 3rd run.
The fourth inning continued the record-breaking game for the Eagles, with the first two batters, Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West) and Storey, three records were broken! Schoper hit a double to become the single-season hits and total bases leader with 65 and 100, respectively. She took both records from assistant coach Ellie Ronning. Storey followed with a sacrifice bunt to become the single-season sacrifice leader with 11, taking the record from Courtney Schmidt, who is also a current UNW assistant coach. With Schoper on third, Anderson sent a ball over the centerfield wall to bring the Eagles up five. The Patriots responded with 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning.
The Eagles threatened through the final three innings, but the score stayed at 5-2. In the bottom of the seventh, Kate Van Ess (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg Casco) took control defensively, catching two of three outs of the frame. The first out was a can-of-corn catch, while the other was an incredible diving snag to seal the Eagles' win.
Keith was 2-3 at the plate with one RBI, and Anderson went 2-3 with two RBI. Lexvold recorded the final RBI of the game with one hit. Strubbe broke the final record of the game with her 18th pitching win this season. She delivered an impressive seven innings, striking out five batters and only allowing one earned run, while walking just two.
GAME 2: SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES
After a 45-minute break to groom the field, the Northwestern Eagles took the field against the Southwestern Eagles in a showdown of the Eagles. SWCU brought a much quicker pace than the first game and took a two-run lead in the first inning.
UNW needed a couple of innings to settle in and find its rhythm. In the bottom of the third, the Southwestern Eagles hit a solo home run to go up 3. Storey nearly spoiled the homer at the wall, but it sailed just above her reaching glove.
Northwestern finally put a run on the board in the top of the fourth as Kate Trump (Faribault, Minn/Bethlehem Academy), Oberle, and Van Ess singled in the frame. Van Ess' hit scored Trump.
Storey sent a bullet up the middle to get the 5th inning started. She wasn't on first for long, since Edwards sent a ball over the left field wall to tie the score at three. Her homer also tied the single-season home run record currently held by Keith with 10 homers.
The Oklahoma Eagles got a runner on third in the bottom of the inning, but Van Ess ended the threat with an amazing snatch and toss to first, securing the final out and keeping the score tied. They had runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth frame as well, but the UNW defense locked in to secure two outs to turn the inning.
Deadlocked at 3, it all came down to the final inning, and UNW showed up for it, launching not one, but two, three-RBI home runs to score six runs in the seventh inning! Storey and Anderson led off, getting on base and advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Edwards. In a perfect setup, the Northwestern career home runs leader was up to bat. Keith hit a home run well over the center field wall to score three runs and take a commanding lead! The Eagles didn't want to stop there as Jenna Nusbaum (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) and Oberle got to first and second with two outs. Then, for the first time in her collegiate career, Van Ess sent a ball way over the wall to plate another three runs, taking the 9-3 victory!
Van Ess closed the game with her home run after going 2-4 at the plate with four RBI. Trump was also 2-4 and Oberle was 3-4. Keith had three RBI on one hit and Edwards had two RBI on one hit. Emma Morrissey (Wasilla, Alas./Colony) started in the circle for the Eagles and pitched four innings, striking out two batters and walking one. She was relieved by Strubbe, who closed the final three innings, surrendering three batters and allowing no runs.
With the storybook ending, UNW finished 2-0 on the opening day of the championships! The Eagles return to the Oak Grove Softball Complex tomorrow at 3:30 PM taking on the No. 1 seed, Columbia International University. Win or lose, they will then play on Wednesday at 1:00 PM.
