Northwestern College defeated Midland in a best-of-three series to win the GPAC Softball Tournament Championship Monday afternoon at Christensen Field in Fremont, Neb. The Red Raiders claim their first postseason title since the 2002 season and third overall as they improve to 35-11 overall.
Scoreless in the ninth inning of a winner-take-all game three, Jessica Sandbulte drew a two-out walk and advanced to third on a single by Kayla Tindall, who took second on the throw. Emily Bosch followed with a two-run double hit to left-field, scoring Sandbulte and pinch runner Calli Shaw, for a 2-0 lead. Tindall pitched a perfect ninth inning, sending down the Midland hitters in order, to seal the championship.
Tindall, who pitched a total of 19 scoreless innings on the day, earned the win in game three, gave up seven hits and struck out four, improving her record to 17-6. She also had two of the Red Raiders five hits in game three, as did Bosch and Emma Schnell added one hit.
Jaylee Hinrichs (22-9) picked the hard-luck loss, giving up five hits and two runs while striking out 10.
Pitching dominated on both sides as the teams combined for just seven runs in the three games.
Northwestern came up with a 1-0, 10-inning win in game one, scoring an unearned run despite being no-hit by Hinrichs. Madison Beaver reached base on an error to lead off the 10th and advanced to second after Amanda Everhart drew a walk. With two outs, Beaver and Everhart executed a double steal to move up one base and a throwing error on the Warriors’ catcher allowed Beaver to score the winning run.
Tindall outdueled Hinrichs in game one as well, limiting Midland to seven hits, all singles, while striking out 12. Hinrichs had a perfect game through nine innings, did not give up a hit and struck out 20 Red Raiders in spite of the loss.
Midland forced the third championship game by winning game two, 4-0, behind a complete-game, three-hitter by Madison Plummer (10-4). The junior struck out five and did not allow a Northwestern runner past second base.
The Warriors broke open a scoreless game with a three-run fourth inning. Andrea Cespedes and Katlin Anders singles and scored on a three-run home run by Bailey Hartman off Northwestern starter Emma Schnell. Midland added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Sierra Athow.
Schnell (17-4) pitched well despite the loss, limiting Midland to seven hits and four runs, striking out nine.
Northwestern will now play in the NAIA Championship Opening Round, beginning next week (May 14-16) at a site and opponent to be determined. The NAIA will release the brackets tomorrow (May 8).
