The Northwestern College softball team won the final two games of their spring break trip, defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan (7-2) and Hannibal-LaGrange (9-0), at the Friends Invite played in Wichita, Kan.
The Raiders won eight of their 10 games over their break, going 4-0 at the Friends Invite, and improve to 13-5 on the season.
Northwestern has won five straight games, its longest win streak since the 2018 season.
Game One: 7-2 win vs Oklahoma Wesleyan
Kameryn Etherington picked up her eighth win in nine decisions, improving to 8-1 this season, as the freshman limited the Eagles to four hits and two runs over the full seven innings. The freshman struck out a career-high 10 OWU batters and did not give up a hit after the third inning.
Eight Raiders accounted for at least one hit for a balanced Raider line-up that totaled 12 hits, marking the 11th game this season with 10+ hits. Erikc McKeney led the way, going 3-for-3 with an RBI; both Emily Bosch and Jennifer Boeve went 2-for-3 with Boeve scoring two runs.
Down 2-0 after one inning, Northwestern scored two in the second off an RBI single from Emily Strasser, who later came around to score on a double by Bosch. An RBI single by Etherington that scored Giordano put Northwestern in front for good in the bottom of the third.
The Raiders added another run in the fourth when Bosch singled and scored after an Eagles error. They put the game away with a three-run sixth inning, taking advantage of three walks and two OWU errors.
Game Two: 9-0 (6 innings) win vs Hannibal-LaGrange
Etherington and Samantha Ubben combined for a four-hit shutout in leading Northwestern to a 9-0, six-inning win against Hannibal-LaGrange in game two. Etherington allowed only one hit over the first two innings while Ubben (W: 5-4) gave up three hits in the final four innings of scoreless relief.
Northwestern scored at least one run in every inning but the fourth and totaled nine hits, led by Strasser who went 3-for-4 with a career-best four RBI. McKenney turned in her eighth multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4 with an RBI; Jordyn Kramer added one hit and two RBI.
Bosch scored the Raiders first run when she reached base off an error, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jessica Mouw and crossed home plate after a single by McKenney. A Strasser double in the second plated Giordano in the second and Jordyn Kramer drew a bases loaded walk leading to a NWC run in the third.
Leading 3-0, Northewestern put the game away with three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings. Kramer, Strasser and Sydney Johnson all had RBI singles and Strasser hit a run-scoring double in the sixth.
