Softball Splits Florida Doubleheader To Open Southern Trip

OVERVIEW – Southwest Minnesota State / Sioux Falls

SCORE: Northwood 6, Southwest Minnesota State 0 / Northwood 2, Sioux Falls 8

RECORDS: Northwood (1-5, 0-0 G-MAC) / Southwest Minnesota State (9-6, 0-0 NSIC), Sioux Falls (8-8, 0-0 NSIC)

LOCATION: Winter Haven, Fla. - Diamondplex B

RECAP: Northwood softball split a pair of games on Thursday (March 5) in Winter Haven, Fla., to start their Florida trip. The Timberwolves opened the day with a strong 6-0 victory over Southwest Minnesota St., highlighted by Ashley Ziel's three-RBI homer and solid pitching from Kamden Binney. In game two of the day, Northwood fell 8-2 to Sioux Falls in a contest called during the top of the sixth due to weather.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS - SOUTHWEST MINN. ST.

• The game remained scoreless through the first four innings as both teams traded opportunities.
• Northwood broke the stalemate in the top of the fifth inning. Ashlyn Lundquist reached base, and Delanie Gale followed with a double before Ashley Ziel launched a three-run home run to left field to give the Timberwolves a 3-0 advantage. 
• The Timberwolves added to the lead in the sixth inning. Jenna Kowalski doubled down the left field line to start the frame and later scored when Payton Schafsnitz doubled to the gap in right-center, 4-0 NU.
• Gale delivered another run with an RBI double later in the inning before Ziel capped the scoring with an RBI single up the middle, pushing the lead to 6-0 after the top of the fifth.
• Northwood's pitching staff handled the rest, as Kamden Binney tossed six scoreless innings before Dalaney Gage closed out the final frame to secure the shutout.

GAME STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 6/12/2, Southwest Minnesota State 0/6/0
• Runners left on base: Northwood 8, Southwest Minnesota State 9
• Winning Pitcher – Kamden Binney (6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 K)
• Losing Pitcher – Ramsey Hopp (6.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 1 K)

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Ashley Ziel: 3-4, HR, 4 RBI
• Jenna Kowalski: 3-3, 2B, BB
• Delanie Gale: 2-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI
• Payton Schafsnitz: 1-3, 2B, RBI

NORTHWOOD NOTES AND CAREER MARKS TRACKER

• Several Timberwolves continue climbing the Northwood softball record books during the 2026 season. Ashley Ziel moved into a tie for fifth all-time in program history in home runs with 18 after her three-run homer against Southwest Minnesota State. Ziel now sits even with Julia Gross (2017–21) on the program leaderboard. Ziel also surpassed the 100 career RBI milestone, becoming just the ninth player in program history to reach the mark.
• Delanie Gale continues to close in on the Northwood career doubles record. Gale collected two more doubles against Southwest Minnesota State, bringing her career total to 43, just four shy of the program record of 47 set by Stacey Klonowski (2011–14). Gale also owns 107 career RBI.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS – SIOUX FALLS

• Sioux Falls opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.
• Northwood responded in the bottom half of the inning. Ashlyn Lundquist doubled down the left field line and later scored when Brinley Eckerman singled up the middle, tying the game at 1-1.
• The game remained even until the fourth inning when Sioux Falls plated five runs, using a pair of hits and Northwood errors to extend the lead to 6-1.
• Northwood cut into the deficit in the fifth inning. Delanie Gale tripled to center field and later scored on a throwing error following a pop-up from Ashley Ziel, making the score 6-2.
• Sioux Falls added two more runs in the sixth inning before weather halted play, resulting in the game being declared final.

GAME STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 2/6/3, Sioux Falls 8/8/2
• Runners left on base: Northwood 6, Sioux Falls 7
• Winning Pitcher – Ava Mejia (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 K)
• Losing Pitcher – Dalaney Gage (3.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 K)

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Brinley Eckerman: 2-3, RBI
• Ashlyn Lundquist: 1-3, R, 2B
• Delanie Gale: 1-3, 3B, R
• Abby Robinson: 1-3

UP NEXT

• Northwood softball continues its Florida swing on Friday, March 6, with a pair of games at the Miss Bartow Softball Complex in Bartow, Fla. The Timberwolves will first take on Southwest Minnesota St. again at Noon before closing out the day against Dominican (N.Y.) at 4:30 p.m.