AUSTIN, Minn. – The undefeated Northwestern College softball team (7-0) travelled to Austin, Minn. and would sweep Viterbo (Wis.) (0-2) in dominating fashion. The Raiders took game one by a score of 11-0 and finished off the sweep in game two, 12-1.
Game 1: Northwestern 11, Viterbo 0
The Raider bats got off to a hot start early in game one against Viterbo. Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hastings, Neb./Hastings Senior) started things off with a double and Madysn Grotewold (So., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) followed that up with a single. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over and a Bri Giordano (Jr., Arroyo Grande, Calif./Arroyo Grande) double would score both runners giving the Raiders an early 2-0 lead.
Kameryn Etherington (So., Algona, Iowa/Algona) would earn a three up, three down inning and the bats would pick up where they left off scoring eight in an explosive second inning. A Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) single would start things off and she would score on a sacrifice fly. Boeve and Grotewold would also single in the inning and after a walk Etherington would single and earn two RBIs. After a parade of errors, the Raiders would score four more runs to stretch their lead to 10-0.
The fifth inning would see the Raiders plate one more run off of a Boeve double. Viterbo would be held scoreless and the Raiders would wrap up game one in five innings.
Etherington would continue to dominate in the circle picking up five strikeouts and keeping the Viterbo offense hitless in her three innings. Sydnee Isom (Jr., Fillmore, Calif./Fillmore) would take over the pitching duties for the final two innings and earn one strikeout and only allow one hit.
Boeve would go four for four at the plate, including two doubles. Giordano would tally three RBIs and Kramer would score two runs in game one.
Game 2: Northwestern 12, Viterbo 2
Northwestern would again jump out to an early lead in game two, scoring three runs in the first inning. Boeve, Grotewold, and Giordano would load the bases and a Kramer bases-clearing triple would score all three. The Raiders would take a 3-0 lead before even taking the field on defense.
The second inning would prove to be a separator again in game two. After a pair of singles, a sacrifice bunt would move the runners and a Boeve RBI double would plate two. With the bases loaded Giordano would smash a grand slam giving the Raiders an 8-0 lead. After a Gwen Mikkelson (Jr., Case Grande, Ariz./Mission Heights Prep.) walk, Kramer would homer extending the lead to 10-0. Etherington would strike out two batters in the bottom of the second.
Isom would take over in the circle and continue the trend set by Etherington and keeping the V-Hawks off the scoreboard.
The fourth would see the Raiders score two more. After an Erika McKenney (So., Hawarden, Iowa/West Sioux) walk, Mikkelson and Kramer would hit back-to-back doubles to push the lead to 12-0. The V-Hawks would plate their first run of the game after earning their first two hits of the game putting the score at 12-1.
After a scoreless top of the fifth, Kate Kralik (Fr., Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) would come on to finish up the sweep of the doubleheader.
*Recap based on unofficial scorebook. Official box score to come early next week.
Up Next: The Raiders will continue their weekend in Austin, Minn. at the Packer Dome tomorrow, Feb. 19, with game one against Clarke at 1:30 p.m. and game two against Viterbo at 3:35 p.m.
