ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Northwestern College softball team wrapped up their weekend at the 2022 Kelly Laas Memorial Softball Invite with two more wins, improving to 6-0 on the season.
The first a 6-5 win coming in extra innings against Bemidji State, the second game of the day saw the Raiders comeback and win 7-6 against Southwest Minnesota State (SMSU). Northwestern tallied four total wins on the weekend, all coming against NCAA DII opponents.
Game 1: Northwestern 6, Bemidji State 5
After a scoreless first inning both teams were able to push across a run in the second inning. The Raiders run came from a Chloe Gallegos (Fr., Carroll, Iowa/Carroll) homer, the first of her Red Raider career. Bemidji State would hit a solo homerun to answer in the bottom of the second.
Bemidji State pushed another run across in the third and would take a 2-1 lead. After a scoreless fifth inning the Raiders would tied the score at two after an error allowed Gwen Mikkelson (Jr., Casa Grande, Ariz./Mission Heights Prep.) to reach base and another error after a Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) single would allow Mikkelson to score.
A scoreless sixth would set up a intense final inning of play. Charli Bomgaars (Fr., Boyden, Iowa/Boyden-Hull) would reach on an error and then steal second. A Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hastings, Neb./Hastings Senior) RBI single would give Northwestern a 3-2 lead. The Raiders would stay aggressive on the base paths and Boeve would steal second. Erika McKenney (So., Hawarden, Iowa/West Sioux) would double and score Boeve, giving the Raiders a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Bemidji State would answer with two runs of their own by way of a single, a double, and another single.
Brooke Zylstra (So., Hull, Iowa/Boyden-Hull) would come in to run, starting at second base for the Raiders in the top of the eighth inning. After a sacrifice bunt Zylstra would move to third and then score on an error. Mikkelson who reached on the error would steal second and score on a Gallegos single giving the Raiders a 6-4 lead.
Game 2: Northwestern 7, Southwest Minnesota State 6
SMSU would take an early 3-0 lead on the Raiders with one run in the first and two runs in the second inning. SMSU was able to hold Northwestern scoreless through the first three innings of play.
In the fourth inning Strasser was able to work a walk and then advance to second on a wild pitch. A Mikkelson single would score Strasser, giving Northwestern their first run of the game. SMSU would answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth (4-1).
Northwestern would answer with two runs of their own in the fifth inning. Kramer would knock an RBI single, pulling the Raiders within two (4-2). With the bases loaded Strasser would ground one to first scoring Kramer but Boeve was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The top of the sixth would see Kameryn Etherington (So., Algona, Iowa/Algona) double and score on a Mikkelson single, tying the game at 4.
In the final inning of play the Raiders would score three runs. Kramer would reach on an error and Boeve would single, putting runners at first and third. Madysn Grotewold (So., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) would reach on a sacrifice bunt attempt scoring Kramer and giving Northwestern a 5-4 lead. A Strasser groundout would move the runners to second and third with two outs. An error would allow Groteowold and Boeve to score and push Northwestern ahead by three runs. SMSU would not go away quietly, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh but it was not enough as Northwestern would defeat their third DII opponent of the weekend.
Kate Kralik (Fr., Indianola, Iowa/Indianola) was able to strike out ten batters between the two games, earning a win and a save on the day. Etherington has appeared in five of the six games thus far for the Raiders and has a season ERA of 1.87 while also leading the team in RBIs with five. Boeve is leading the team in hits on the early season with ten and she is batting .500 thus far.
Up Next: The Raiders will travel back to Austin, Minn. on Feb. 18 and 19 for three games, two of them against Viterbo (Wis.) and one against Clarke.
