ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern College softball team (30-8, 9-5 GPAC) split with the Mustangs of Morningside College (25-13, 11-7 GPAC).
Morningside scored in every inning of the first game, taking game one 13-2 in five innings. The Raiders responded in game two to win 4-3 behind big performances from Kate Kralik (Fr., Indianola, Iowa) and Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa).
GAME 1: Morningside 13, Northwestern 2
Morningside struck first scoring two unearned runs due to Raider errors in the top of the first inning.
The Raiders would respond to get two runs of their own tying the game in the bottom of the first. Emily Strasser (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) singled, scoring two (2-2).
Morningside scored two more in the top of the second, on an RBI double and an RBI single. The Mustangs tacked on another run in the third on another RBI single.
The fourth inning saw the Mustangs score four more runs, three of those runs coming via a bases clearing double.
The fifth inning saw the final three Mustang runs cross the plate, making the final 13-2.
GAME 2: Northwestern 4, Morningside 3
With both teams scoreless and Strasser on base, Kramer smacked a home run over the left center fence in the bottom of the second to put the Raiders ahead 2-0.
Bri Giordano (Jr., Arroyo Grande, Calif.) doubled with one out and advanced on a single. She then scored on an error by the first baseman to put the Raiders ahead 3-0.
Morningside tied the game up on a two-out double that cleared the bases.
In the bottom of the sixth Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hastings, Neb.) doubled down the left field line with no one out, putting the Raiders in a good position. After a line out, Strasser smoked a single up the middle to score Boeve, putting the Raiders ahead 4-3.
The Raiders will head to Sioux Center, Iowa to face off with their Sioux County rival, Dordt University, on April 26, beginning at 5:00 p.m.
