Softball Splits Pair At Hillsdale

HILLSDALE, MICH. - The Northwood University softball team traveled to Hillsdale College, where the Timberwolves split a pair of games with the Charges. NU dropped the first game 4-6, before earning a dramatic 4-3 win in the bottom of the seventh of the second game.

Northwood is now 17-11 on the season, 8-4 in the GLIAC. Hillsdale is 10-14 overall, 4-10 in the GLIAC.

After leaving two runners on base in the first inning, the Timberwolves capitalized in the second to score three runs on four hits. In a series of singles, Lauren Look (Pinconning, Mich. / Cleveland State), Brittany Merner (Solon, Ohio / Solon) and Natalie Lampman (Madison Heights, Mich. / Bishop Foley) all crossed the plate before the end of the inning. The Chargers rallied back in the bottom of the second to mirror the result of three runs on four hits. In the top of the third, Lampman hit an RBI single to right field to score freshman Allie Patterson (Galesburg, Mich. / Galesburg-Augusta). Hillsdale once again tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double. The Chargers pulled ahead in the next inning, scoring two runs on a double to left center. Northwood had four runners on base in the final two innings but was unable to cross the plate, falling 6-4.

For the game, Stacey Klonowski (Canton, Mich. / Plymouth) batted 2-4 with an RBI, while Sam Zaborowski (Taylor, Mich. / Cabrini) went 3-4. Lampman hit 2-3, scoring a run and earned an RBI in the loss. Patterson crossed the plate for her sixth run of the season.

Maddison Sebald (Bay City, Mich. / Bay City Western) started for NU, pitching three complete innings against 16 batters before Casey Brown (Hudson, Ohio) threw the last three innings, against 15 batters. Brown is now 6-4 on the season with the loss.

NU's offense struggled in the second game, as the Charger's defense saw no more than four batters per inning through four innings. Trailing 3-0, it wasn't until the top of the fifth that Northwood was able to keep runners on base. Sophomore Jessica Tostrud (Kenosha, Wisc. / Mary D. Bradford) led off the inning with a double to center field. After freshman Hayley D'Avilar (Georgetown, ON / Christ the King) walked, Andria Gietl's (Plymouth, Mich. / Ladywood) single to left field scored Tostrud for Northwood's first run of the game. Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth, junior Lindsay Obremski (DuBois, Pa. / Dubois Area) walked for the second time in the game. Senior Malinda Smith (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley) pinch ran for Obremski before Zaborowski stepped to the plate. Zaborowski tied the game with a two-run homer, her sixth on the year. The Timberwolves were able to hold off the Chargers in the top of the seventh to enter the bottom of the inning tied 3-3. After singles by both D'Avilar and Merner, Ashley Lynn (Garden City, Mich. / Garden City) reached on a fielder's choice and advanced D'Avilar to third. Northwood senior, Stacey Klonowski ended the game with a walk-off single to right center scoring D'Avilar.

Northwood's freshman pitcher, Vanessa Ewing (Dundee, Mich. / Dundee) started the second game with three consecutive outs. After allowing three runs on five hits in the second, the Chargers were scoreless for the remainder of the game. Ewing struck out two batters and allowed just a single walk against 31 batters.

The Timberwolves will travel to Findlay tomorrow (April 13). First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 12:00 p.m.