The Northwestern Softball team hosted a GPAC doubleheader against rival Dordt College on April 4. The Red Raiders split the two games, winning the first 5-2 and coming up short in the second 2-9.
In the first game junior pitcher Kayla Tindall pitched all seven innings, giving up just five hits. Senior Jessica Rayela led the team in batting statistics, picking up three hits and two RBI’s.
Neither team got on the scoreboard in the first inning, but NW picked up two runs in the second following a double from sophomore Madison Beaver that got senior Monse Figueroa and junior Jess Sandbulte across home plate. The score stayed at 2-0 until the Raiders extended their lead in the fourth inning.
Senior Katie Elliott scored a run early in the fourth, pushing the Red Raider lead to three. Rayela hit a double later on in the inning, sending Figueroa and fellow senior Jaclyn Smith home. NW held the 5-0 lead until the sixth inning, where Dordt got two runs of their own.
The second game was a different story, however. NW managed just three hits in the second contest, two of which came from Elliott, including a two-run homer in the second inning. Dordt managed 11 hits and nine runs.
The Defenders jumped out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the second due to a few costly errors by NW. The Raiders pulled back two runs in the top of the second thanks to Elliott’s home run.
Unfortunately, it was all Dordt for the rest of the game. The Defenders scored three more runs in the third and three more in fourth.
This result brings NW’s overall record to 16-15 (5-3 in conference play). Dordt’s season record stands at 13-12 (7-3 in the GPAC).
The Raiders will play next on April 8 when they host Midland University. NW will look to improve its record against a .500 Midland team who are 12-12 on the season and 2-2 in the GPAC.
