The Red Raider women’s softball team hosted Briar Cliff for a GPAC doubleheader this Tuesday in Orange City. Northwestern split the two games, falling 1-4 in the first game and coming back with a 2-1 win in the second. This moved them up 3-1 in conference play.
The scoring was opened in the first game when Briar Cliff got a run in the second inning. The Raiders trailed 1-0 until the top of the sixth, when the Chargers secured three more runs. NW responded quickly, scoring a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth. They were not able to close the gap and Briar Cliff won 4-1.
The Red Raiders fared better in the second game. Heading into the seventh inning down 1-0, junior Katie Elliott hit a home run over the right field fence to tie the game. This was Elliott’s second home run of the season.
Though the Raiders failed to score again in the seventh inning, senior Morgan Means pitched a scoreless eighth inning, giving the team a chance to come back at bat.
Senior Brianna Petrauskas led off the inning with a hit to centerfield, sliding into second just in time to make a double. Senior Sam Wielenga came to run at second, and senior Jaclyn Smith hit a walk-off single to send Wielenga home for the winning run.
Six different Red Raiders had a hit landing them on base in the second game, including Elliott’s home run which was the only extra base hit of the game on both sides. Means threw 10 hits, resulting in just one run in all eight innings.
The NW women have a season record of 14-11 as of Tuesday night, and look to improve in continuing games. The team was scheduled to play two games against Bellevue last night (March 30), but the games have been postponed until tonight (March 31).
Next week, the team heads to Omaha, NE to play College of St. Mary’s this weekend, and will plan to match up with their Dordt College rivals at home on Tuesday, April 4.
