Jessica Mouw, Sydney Johnson and Bri Giordano had three hits each in leading the Northwestern College softball team to an 18-5 (5 inning) win over Dakota State in game two of a non-conference doubleheader played today in Orange City. The Raiders lost game one 3-2; they are now 26-14 on the season with two games left in the regular season.

Northwestern scored early and often in game two, opening up a 6-0 lead after the first inning. Emily Bosch and Mouw hit back-to-back singles and came around to score on a three-run home run by Erika McKenney on a 2-2 pitch. Giordano, Sydney Johnson and Alayna Bakke followed with hits and all three later scored on a couple of errors by Dakota State. 

The Raiders plated two runs in each of the second and third innings, taking a 10-3 lead. Giordano and Johnson both hit RBI singles in the second while Mouw delivered an RBI single and Jennifer Boeve an RBI double in the third. 

Northwestern put the game away in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs on five hits and sending 14 batters to the plate. Taylor De Jong hit a pinch-hit, two-run single and both Jordyn Kramer and Johnson hit run-scoring singles in the inning.

Sydnee Isom (3-2) earned the win for head coach Shane Bouman's squad, giving up nine hits, five runs in four innings. Samantha Ubben closed the game with a perfect fifth inning.

Giordano went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, Mouw was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and Johnson added three hits and drove in three. 

Dakota State totaled nine hits, two by Vinitzia Blano and Xitlali Lopez hit a two-run home run. 

Northwestern dropped game one 3-2 as Dakota State scored two runs in the top of the seventh, the winning run coming across on a double by Blanco. 

Ubben (7-8) took the loss, giving up seven hits and just one earned run in seven innings, striking out six. The Raiders scored both runs in the first on a single by McKenney and groundout by Giordano. 

Lopez (W) earned the win, giving up seven hits and two runs for DSU.