TUCSON, Ariz. – The Northwestern College softball team (21-3) picked up two more wins today, March 14, bringing their total in Arizona to nine, as they head back to Iowa to begin conference play next week.
Game one saw the Raiders defeat the Dakota State Torjans (1-8) 9-4 and Northwestern wrapped up their spring break trip with a win over Viterbo (0-8) 8-0.
GAME 1: (RV) Northwestern 9, Dakota State 4
Northwestern used a big first inning to down the Trojans, scoring six of their nine runs in the opening frame.
Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hastings, Neb.) was able to reach on an error by the short stop and advance to second base. Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa) also reached on an error and advanced to second, Boeve moved over to third. Bri Giordano (Jr., Arroyo Grande, Calif.) worked a walk and the Raiders had the bases loaded with no outs. Gwen Mikkelsen (Jr., Casa Grande, Ariz.) smacked a double, clearing the bases and giving the Raiders an early 3-0 lead. After a Kameryn Etherington (So., Algona, Iowa) walk Emily Strasser (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) singled to left field, scoring Mikkelsen (4-0). On a groundout Etherington was able to score and a subsequent error allowed Strasser to score giving the Raiders a 6-0 first inning lead.
Etherington gave up a solo home run in the bottom of the first (6-1) but that was the lone hit she surrendered through the first three innings.
Northwestern tacked on another run in the top of the second by way of an Etherington single, she scored Kramer (7-1).
Kramer worked a walk to start the fourth inning and advanced to second on a groundout by Giordano. Kramer scored on an error by the Trojan’s third baseman to give the Raiders a seven-run lead (8-1).
Dakota State answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth and sixth make it 8-3 heading into the seventh inning.
Northwestern added an insurance run in the top of the seventh and Dakota State added one more to make it a 9-4 win for the Raiders.
Mikkelsen tallied four RBIs in the win on two hits, she also scored two runs. Strasser also notched a multi-hit game with two on the day, including scoring two runs and one RBI. Kramer reached base consistently and scored three of the Raider runs.
GAME 2: (RV) Northwestern 8, Viterbo 0 (F/5)
Freshman pitcher, Kate Kralik (Indianola, Iowa), threw a one-hit shutout to cap off sweep of the day with an 8-0 victory over the V-Hawks of Viterbo (Wis.). The Raiders now have four wins over the V-Hawks on the season.
Two three up, three down innings for Kralik started the game off and set up the Raider offense for a two-run second inning. Etherington reached on an error and advanced to second on a passed ball. A Kramer sacrifice allowed Etherington to advance to third. A single by Strasser scored Etherington (1-0), and she advanced to second on the throw. Another error by the V-Hawks allowed Gallegos to reach. A Boeve single scored Gallegos to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead.
Kralik continued to dominate, not allowing a single batter to reach base through three innings. Giordano got the bottom of the third started with a double to center field, she then advanced on a wild pitch. Mikkelsen worked a walk to put runners on the corners with no outs. Kramer used a sacrifice bunt to advance Mikkelsen and score Giordano (3-0). Strasser followed that up with a double to right field, scoring Mikkelsen. Gallegos followed Strasser’s lead and also doubled, giving the Raiders a 5-0 lead. Another error allowed Gallegos to score, pushing the lead to 6-0.
The V-Hawks broke up the no-hit bid with a two-out double in the top of the fourth inning. Kralik, however, would continue her shutout bid not allowing the runner to score.
The Raiders pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fourth inning to give themselves an 8-0 lead. A Mikkelsen double would score Giordano, who singled, and Madysn Grotewold (So., Larchwood, Iowa) who reached on an error.
Kralik earned her 11th win of the season with the shutout effort, now sitting 11-1 on the year. Strasser had her second multi-hit game of the day, totaling two hits to go along with two RBIs. Mikkelsen also had two RBIs, while Boeve and Giordano both totaled two hits on the afternoon.
Up Next: The Raiders will return home to Orange City, Iowa to begin Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) play against Mount Marty University (10-6, 0-0 GPAC) with the doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Softball Diamond.
