Softball Seals Game Two In Five As Timberwolves Split Day Two In Florida

OVERVIEW – Southwest Minnesota St./ Dominican (N.Y.)

SCORE: Northwood 7, Southwest Minnesota St. 8 / Northwood 8, Dominican (N.Y.) 0

RECORDS: Northwood (2-6, 0-0 G-MAC), Southwest Minnesota St. (11-6, 0-0 NSIC), Dominican (N.Y.) (0-9, 0-0 CACC)

LOCATION: Miss Bartow Softball Complex – Bartow, Fla.

RECAP: Northwood softball split Friday's games in Bartow, Fla., falling to Southwest Minnesota State 8-7 in a walk-off before bouncing back with an 8-0 run-rule victory over Dominican (N.Y.). The Timberwolves move to 2-6 on the season after the split.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS - SMSU

• Southwest Minnesota State struck first in the opening inning on an RBI double to right center to take a 1-0 lead.
• Northwood answered in the second inning when Ashlyn Lundquist reached base with a single up the middle and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Jenna Kowalski to tie the game at 1-1.
• The Timberwolves pushed ahead in the fourth inning. Kowalski scored on an error before Delanie Gale delivered an RBI single up the middle to give Northwood a 3-1 advantage.
• The Mustangs responded in the fifth, scoring three runs on a pair of Northwood miscues to reclaim a 4-3 lead.
• Northwood's offense surged again in the sixth inning. Payton Schafsnitz tied the game with an RBI single before Ashley Ziel doubled to center field, bringing home two more to give the Timberwolves a 6-4 lead.
• Southwest Minnesota State cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the sixth, but Northwood added an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly from Delaney Belding to make it 7-5.
• In the bottom of the seventh, a pair of misplayed balls gave the Mustangs new life as they plated three runs to complete the comeback. The winning run scored on a walk-off overthrow, giving SMSU the 8-7 victory.

GAME STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 7/12/5, Southwest Minnesota St. 8/11/2
• Runners left on base: Northwood 8, Southwest Minnesota St. 9
• Winning Pitcher – Jordyn Marsh (7.0 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 3 K)
• Losing Pitcher – Kamden Binney (1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 K)

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Ashley Ziel: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Delanie Gale: 2-4, R, RBI
• Jenna Kowalski: 2-2, 2 R, RBI, BB
• Chloe Cooper: 2-3
• Ashlyn Lundquist: 1-3, 2 R, BB

GAME HIGHLIGHTS – DOMINICAN (N.Y.)

• Northwood struck first in the opening inning after consecutive singles from Brinley Eckerman and Ashley Ziel put runners on base. A defensive miscue allowed both runners to score, giving the Timberwolves an early 2-0 lead.
• The advantage grew in the second inning when Eckerman doubled to center field to bring home Sienna La Sala, extending the lead to 3-0.
• Northwood added two more runs in the third. Carney Salo ripped an RBI double to left field before Hali Lenartowicz lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 5-0.
• The Timberwolves continued to apply pressure in the fourth inning as Delanie Gale doubled to drive in another run. Ella Wagner followed with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 7-0.
• Northwood capped the scoring in the fifth inning when Delaney Belding delivered an RBI double to center field to bring home Salo and seal the 8-0 victory.

GAME STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 8/8/1, Dominican (N.Y.) 0/2/4
• Runners left on base: Northwood 5, Dominican (N.Y.) 2
• Winning Pitcher – Kamden Binney (5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 K)
• Losing Pitcher – Emily Baxter (3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 ER)

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Brinley Eckerman: 2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B
• Carney Salo: 1-3, R, RBI, 2B
• Delanie Gale: 1-3, R, RBI, 2B
• Delaney Belding: 1-1, RBI, 2B

UP NEXT

• Northwood continues play Saturday (March 7) in Bartow, opening the day against Glenville State at 11 a.m. before returning to the field at 1:15 p.m. to face American International. Both games will be played at the Miss Bartow Softball Complex.