TUCSON, Ariz. – The Northwestern College softball team (15-1) defeated the No. 9-ranked Olivet Nazarene Tigers (4-4) 15-0 and dropped their first contest of the season, 2-3, to receiving votes Aquinas College (Ill.) (8-3).
Game 1
The Raiders jumped out to an early 1-0 in the first inning. Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hasting, Neb.) singled and Madysn Grotewold (So., Larchwood, Iowa) reached on an error while Boeve advanced to third. Grotewold would be caught stealing but Boeve would score. Aquinas would answer in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly, tying the game at one.
The bottom of the second would see Aquinas tack on two more runs. A walk and passed ball would put a runner in scoring position at second base. A triple would score one run and on a stolen base the runner at third would score pushing the Aquinas lead to 3-1.
The Raiders would leave a total of four runners on base in the second and third innings but another scoring opportunity would occur in the fourth. With the bases loaded an Erika McKenney (So., Hawarden, Iowa) single would score one reducing the deficit to one run (3-2). One run was all the Raiders would get leaving three more on base in the top of the fourth.
The fifth saw both teams go quickly with only one base runner between the two squads.
The sixth saw more of the same with both teams leaving one runner stranded. The Raiders’ last chance came with two runners on and two outs but it was not to be as a ground out would end the game with Aquinas taking the game 3-2.
Game 2
The second game of the day from Tucson, Ariz. saw the No. 9-ranked Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Tigers take on the Raiders. The Northwestern bats came alive and racked up four home runs for the game. This mark is tied for third best, in a game, in program history and this is the first time since 2018 that four home runs were hit in the same game.
Boeve started things off in the bottom of the first with a solo home run. Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa) would work a walk, McKenney would single, and the Gwen Mikkelson (Jr., Casa Grande, Ariz.) would blast a three-run homer to push the Raider lead to 4-0.
Neither team would score in the second or third innings. Kate Kralik (Fr., Indianola, Iowa) would be in the circle for the Raiders.
The fourth inning would see the Raider’s offense explode for 11 runs. After a Mikkelson single, Chloe Gallegos would hit a two-run homer extending the lead to 6-0. Grotewold would single and advance to second, Boeve would double and score Grotewold (7-0). A Kramer triple would push another run across and Giordano would follow that up with a home run of her own, stretching the lead to 10-0. Two more runners would be aboard and a Syndey Isom (Jr., Fillmore, Calif.) double would score two more (12-0). With Isom and Emily Strasser (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) on base Gallegos would single scoring both runners, Gallegos would then score to put the lead at 15-0 on a Boeve double.
Kralik finished the job in the circle, only allowing three hits, and earning her eighth win of the year. Boeve, Mikkelson, Gallegos, and Grotewold would all notch multi-hit games. Gallegos would lead the Raiders in RBIs with four.
Up Next: The Raiders will travel to Hastings College to wrap up regular season play on Saturday, Feb. 19, with tip off set for 2:00 p.m.
