Fremont, Nebraska — Kameryn Etherington pitched a compete-game five-hitter and hit a two-run home run in leading the Northwestern College softball team to a 4-2 win against Briar Cliff in an elimination game played tonight in the Midland Bracket of the 2021 GPAC Softball Championship.
Northwestern improves to 27-17 and will play No.25 Midland on Thursday, May 6 in another elimination game, beginning at noon.
Etherington picked up her 17th win of the season (17-5) as the freshman limited BCU to five hits and no earned runs in the full seven innings. She struck out six, walked two and gave up both unearned runs in the first inning. Etherington retired the final 11 hitters and did not give up a base runner over the final three innings.
Down 2-0, Northwestern tied the game on a two-run home run by Etherington, scoring Jennifer Boeve, who singled earlier in the inning. The second inning home run was her sixth of the season.
The Raiders took the lead for good in the fifth when Emily Strasser led off with a double and pinch runner Delanie Niemyer came around to score after a sacrifice fly by Etherington. Northwestern picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Madysn Grotewold singled, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout and scored off a single from Jessica Mouw.
Northwestern totaled 12 hits, three by Mouw (3/4, RBI) and two each by Strasser (2/4), Etherington (2/2, 3 RBI) and Grotewold (2/3, run).
Briar Cliff had five hits, all singles; both Aubrey Chichurka and Kylee Lukes drove in runs. Mailee Jensen (14-12) took the loss, giving up 12 hits in six innings. The Chargers end the season with a 23-25 record.
Game One: 3-2 loss
Northwestern lost to the (RV) University of Jamestown 3-2 in the opening game of the postseason tournament for both teams.
Etherington (16-5) pitched well in the loss, limiting the Jimmies to seven hits (six singles, one double) and three earned runs in six innings. Jamestown’s ace, Kat Miska outdueled Etherington in earning her 17th win of the season (17-2) as she held Northwestern to just four hits, two run and struck out 12.
Northwestern broke a scoreless game with an unearned run in the fifth; Jordyn Kramer hit a two-out double and scored off a wild throw on a bunt single put down by Grotewold. Jamestown answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth; Jenna Remenar hit an RBI double and Sydney Prussia added a two-run single with two outs.
The Raiders trimmed the lead in half in the sixth when Mouw hit a single and came around to score on a double from Strasser.
Mouw led Northwestern with two hits; Strasser and Kramer had the other hits for Head Coach Shane Bouman’s squad.
Prussia drove in two runs and had two hits for the Jimmies; Mariah Wick also had two hits and scored a run.
