Softball Takes A Split On First Day in Florida

OVERVIEW – St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth

SCORES: Northwood 2, St. Cloud State 1 / Northwood 2, Minnesota-Duluth 6

RECORDS: Northwood 5-3, St. Cloud State 6-6 / Northwood 5-3, Minnesota-Duluth 11-1

LOCATION: Diamondplex A–Kissimmee, FL. 

RECAP: The Timberwolves began their 14 game Florida road-trip today. NU took a split on the first day with two games that came down to the wire. Northwood took game one in an extra inning affair with St. Cloud St. and fell to Minnesota-Duluth late in game two.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS – St. Cloud State

• It was a pitcher's duel for most of the game. St. Cloud took the early lead with a HBP, stolen base, walk, and a double by Trees to make it 1-0.
•  Two innings later, Madelin Skene led of the top of the fifth with a walk. Karlie Moore then reached via an error advancing Skene to third. Two hitters later Madison Jordan hit a sac fly to shallow right field to score Skene (1-1). 
• Neither pitcher would budge, giving up no runs the rest of the seven scheduled innings.
• Gabby Schloop was placed on second to start the eighth. A sac bunt by Madison Jordan pushed her to third and two batters later Gianna Fantin hit a sac fly deep enough behind second base to score Schloop from third (2-1).
• Shayna Frank slammed the door in the bottom of the eighth via a fly ball, strike out, and pop up to second to end the game.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 2/1/2, St. Cloud State 4/8/0
• Runners left on base: Northwood 4, St. Cloud State 12
• Winning Pitcher – Shayna Frank (4-1): 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 6 BB, 8 K
• Losing Pitcher – Trinity Junker (3-2): 8.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 6 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• S. Frank: 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 6 BB, 8 K
• Koehler: 1-2
• Skene: BB, R
• Fantin: 0-3, RBI

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS – Minnesota-Duluth

• The Timberwolves went up 2-0 in the bottom of the second behind a leadoff doubled down the right field line by Delanie Grundman. Madelin Skene followed that up with a double in the left center gap to score Grundman (1-0). 
• Two batters later Skene stole third and was driven in by a sac fly by Madison Jordan (2-0). 
• Going into the final inning the Timberwolves had only given up two hits all game. 
• Minnesota-Duluth came alive in the bottom half of the seventh. The Bulldogs scored six runs with 3 hits, a HBP, a walk, an error, and capped by a home run by Emma Frost (6-2).
• Northwood was unable to mount a comeback and fell to the Bulldogs 6-2.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 2/4/2, Minnesota-Duluth 6/6/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 4, Minnesota-Duluth 3
• Winning Pitcher: Mady Stariha (2-0) 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 4 K
• Losing Pitcher: Hailey Leister (0-1) 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 5 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Skene: 1-3, 2B, RBI, R
• Grundman: 1-3, R
• Mankel: 1-3
• Jordan: 0-1, SAC FLY

UP NEXT

Northwood will be back tomorrow (March 6) for their second day of the Florida trip. NU will play two games, the first will be against East Stroudsburg at 3:45 PM and the second versus Concordia-St. Paul at 6 PM.