Offense Wakes Up In Game Two As Timberwolves Split The Day At The Spring Games

OVERVIEW – St. Martin's / California (Pa.)

SCORES: St. Martin's 2, Northwood 0 / Northwood 9, California (Pa.) 0

RECORDS: Northwood (5-9), St. Martin's (8-11), California (Pa.) (3-9)

LOCATION: Miss Bartow Softball Complex – Bartow, Fla.

RECAP: Northwood softball another split a pair of games on Tuesday afternoon (March 10) at the Miss Bartow Softball Complex in Florida. The Timberwolves dropped a tight 2-0 decision to St. Martin's out of Washington state in the opener before responding with a dominant 9-0 run-rule victory over California (Pa.) in the second game of the day.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS - ST. MARTIN'S

• St. Martin's got on the board in the second inning with a two-out triple to left, driving in the Saints' runner from first, 1-0 SMU.
• In the fourth, a leadoff walk would come around to score on another two-out base knock, 2-0 SMU.
• Northwood had several baserunners, including walks by Brinley Eckerman and Brittany Steimel, but could not push a run across against St. Martin's pitching, who combined for a two-hit shutout.
• Northwood had a late scoring opportunity in the seventh when Jenna Kowalski and Carney Salo singled and advanced on a fielding error, but couldn't convert.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 0/4/1, St. Martin's 2/7/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 7, St. Martin's 11
• Winning Pitcher – Kayla Vaughan (3-0) 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K
• Save – Amanda Peterson (1) 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K
• Losing Pitcher – Dalaney Gage (0-3) 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Carney Salo: 2-3
• Brittany Steimel: 1-1, 2 BB
• Jenna Kowalski: 1-1

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS - CAL (Pa.)

• Northwood exploded for seven runs in the first inning to seize early control of the game. Jenna Kowalski delivered the big swing with an inside-the-park three-run home run, scoring Delanie Gale and Ashley Ziel. Cal's left fielder left her feet and couldn't make the play, allowing Northwood to break the game open early.
• Later in the inning, Gage Lambert reached on a fielding error that scored Ashlyn Lundquist to extend the lead to 4-0.
• Still in the first, Meridith Frey added a sacrifice fly, before Brinley Eckerman singled to right center to drive in two more runs, capping the big opening frame at 7-0.
• The Timberwolves added two more runs in the sixth on a Payton Schafsnitz sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Ashley Ziel, pushing the lead to 9-0.
• In the circle, Kamden Binney tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout, sealing the 9-0 run-rule victory after six-innings.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 9/11/2, California (Pa.) 0/2/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 4, California (Pa.) 3
• Winning Pitcher – Kamden Binney (4-3) 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
• Losing Pitcher – Bolyea (0-3) 0.1 IP, 5 H, 7 R, 4 ER, 1 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Brinley Eckerman: 3-4, 2 RBI
• Ashley Ziel: 3-4, R, RBI
• Jenna Kowalski: 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, R
• Ella Wagner: 2-3, 2B, 2 R
• Ashlyn Lundquist: 1-3, 3B, R

NORTHWOOD NOTES AND CAREER MARKS TRACKER

• Several Timberwolves continue to climb the Northwood softball record books during the 2026 season. With her three hits in game two against California (Pa.), Ashley Ziel moved into No. 5 all-time in career hits with 192, passing Sam Thacker (191; 2005–08). Ziel also reached 110 career RBIs, placing her fifth on the program's all-time list. Delanie Gale sits just behind her with 109 career RBIs, ranking sixth. Gale is also climbing the hits leaderboard with 182 career hits, which ranks 10th all-time in Northwood history.

UP NEXT

• Northwood wraps up play at the Miss Bartow Softball Complex on Wednesday (March 11) with a pair of games. The Timberwolves face Wayne State (Neb.) at 10:00 a.m. before taking on Queens (N.Y.) at 12:15 p.m. in Bartow, Florida.