Softball Kicks Off Road Trip With Sweep Of Malone, 4-2 and 9-1

OVERVIEW – Malone

SCORES: Northwood 4, Malone 2 / Northwood 9, Malone 1 (5 Inn.)

RECORDS: Northwood (13-17, 6-6 G-MAC), Malone (20-10, 5-5 G-MAC)

LOCATION: Mason Softball Complex - Canton, Ohio

RECAP: Northwood softball opened its Northeast Ohio road trip with a doubleheader sweep at Malone on Friday (April 10), taking game one, 4-2, before powering to a 9-1 run-rule victory in game two.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Malone struck first in the opening inning with an RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead.
• Northwood answered in the second, Chloe Cooper's fielder's choice to short brought home Anna Iwanicki to draw even, 1-1.
• The difference in game one came in the third inning, Northwood added another on a double to left from Jenna Kowalski before she came in to score on an RBI single from Ashlyn Lundquist, 3-1.
• Northwood's final score came later in the third when the Timberwolves capitalized on a successful double steal from first and third, scoring Lundquist, 4-1 NU.
• Malone added a solo home run in the seventh to cut the deficit to 4-2, but Kamden Binney went the distance for her 10^th complete game of the year.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 4/8/1, Malone 2/8/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 8, Malone 9
• Winning Pitcher – Kamden Binney (8-6) – 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 1 K
• Losing Pitcher – Mia Rose (11-5) – 7.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 6 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Jenna Kowalski: 2-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB
• Gage Lambert: 2-2, SB, BB
• Ashlyn Lundquist: 1-4, RBI, R, SB  
• Ashley Ziel: 1-3, R, BB
• Brittany Steimel: 1-2, 2B
• Brinley Eckerman: 1-3, BB

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood was held scoreless through the first two innings before breaking through in the third inning with five runs to take control of the game.
• Northwood's rally in the third began with three singles from Gage Lambert, Meredith Frey, and Brinley Eckerman, setting the table for Delanie Gale. Gale then lined a double over the center fielder's head to clear the bases and give Northwood the 3-0 lead.
• The third inning continued with two more doubles from Ashley Ziel and Jenna Kowalski to give Northwood a five-spot in the third.
• Malone threatened in the third, scoring one off an RBI single to center before Dalaney Gage got out of a base-loaded jam with a strikeout looking, 5-1 NU.
• Northwood kept its foot on the gas in the fourth, extending the lead with three singles to open the inning. Eckerman came through again with a two-run single to right, bringing home Chloe Cooper and Lambert.
• The lead inflated to 8-1with Delanie Gale's RBI groundout to score Frey and cap the fourth inning scoring.
• The Timberwolves put the game to rest in the fifth via Eckerman's triple to left center, scoring Frey from first, 9-1.
• Gage limited Malone to just three hits and one run over five innings to secure the run-rule victory.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 9/13/0, Malone 1/3/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 5, Malone 5
• Winning Pitcher – Dalaney Gage (4-6) – 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 5 K
• Losing Pitcher – Masyn Baker (5-3) – 3.1 IP, 11 H, 8 R (8 ER), 1 BB, 1 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Brinley Eckerman: 3-4, 3B, 3 RBI
• Meridith Frey: 3-3, 3 R
• Jenna Kowalski: 2-3, 2B, RBI
• Delanie Gale: 1-4, 2B, 4 RBI
• Ashley Ziel: 1-2, 2B, RBI, BB 
• Gage Lambert: 2-3, R

UP NEXT

• Northwood softball continues G-MAC play on the road at Walsh on Saturday (April 11) with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.