HASTINGS, Neb. – The Northwestern College softball team (28-8, 7-5 GPAC) completed a doubleheader sweep of the Hastings College Broncos (17-20, 3-9 GPAC), going 3-1 over the weekend on their road trip to Nebraska. The Raiders tallied four extra base hits on the day, including home runs from
Gwen Mikkelsen (4th) and
Bri Giordano (5th) in Game 2.
GAME 1: Northwestern 5, Hastings 1
Pitching Decisions
Win: Kameryn Etherington (13-3)
Loss: Kyleigh Boever (8-6)
Save: N/A
How It Happened
The Raiders jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout by
Bri Giordano (Jr., Arroyo Grande, Calif.) scoring
Madysn Grotewold (So., Larchwood, Iowa). With the bases loaded,
Jordyn Kramer (Sr., Larchwood, Iowa) would work a walk to push another run across (2-0).
The third inning saw another Raider run cross via a passed ball. Hastings would answer with a run of their own on an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth (3-1).
The seventh inning saw the Raiders tack on two insurance runs to finish the scoring at 5-1. Giordano would smack a double to right field and score
Gwen Mikkelsen (Jr., Casa Grande, Ariz.).
Kameryn Etherington (So., Algona, Iowa) would single to center to score Giordano.
Game Notes
- Though outhit (5-4), the Raiders took advantage of free bases and Bronco errors (3) to pick up the Game 1 victory.
- Jordyn Kramer and Gwen Mikkelsen have reached base safely in five and six straight games, respectively.
- Jennifer Boeve reached base via a walk bringing her season total to 32 of 35 games this season of successfully being aboard.
- Bri Giordano notches her 15th multi-hit game of the season.
- Kameryn Etherington threw a five-hit complete game for the Raiders, throwing 7.0 innings and allowing just five Hastings hits. She also recorded five strike outs.
- It marks the sophomore's fourth complete game of the season.
GAME 2: Northwestern 10, Hastings 1 (F/6)
Pitching Decisions
Win: Kameryn Etherington (14-3)
Loss: Mattie Hogrefe (5-6)
Save: N/A
How It Happened
The Raiders jumped out to another first inning lead on a sacrifice fly by Giordano, scoring both
Jennifer Boeve (Jr., Hastings, Neb.) and Grotewold (2-0). Hastings would answer with a run of their own in the bottom of the second (2-1).
The fourth inning saw the Raider bats come to life. Kramer got the scoring started with an RBI single, scoring
Brooke Zylstra (So., Hull, Iowa). A fielder's choice allowed
Chloe Gallegos (Fr., Carroll, Iowa) to score and give the Raiders a 4-1 lead. An RBI groundout by
Charli Bomgaars (Fr., Boyden, Iowa) would score Kramer (5-1). A Mikkelsen single to left field and coupled with an error would allow
Emily Strasser (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) to score (6-1). An error would allow Giordano to reach first and allow two more Raider runs to score, giving them an 8-1 lead.
The Raiders would again tack on some insurance runs in the sixth inning, by way of two home runs. Mikkelsen would hit a solo homer and Giordano would follow that up with a homer of her own to finish off the scoring at 10-1.
Game Notes
- Northwestern has now won six straight over the Broncos, dating back 2019. Northwestern has won seven of the last ten meetings.
- The run-rule victory in Game 2 marks the tenth of the season for the Raiders.
- Gwen Mikkelsen extends her on-base streak to seven straight games. She notched her fourth home run of the season, bringing her total to three in the last two weeks.
- Bri Giordano also went yard in Game 2, bringing her team-leading total to five on the season.
- With two walks on the day Jennifer Boeve has reached base in 33 of 36 games this season.
- The Raiders tallied eight free bases in game two, four errors, three walks, and one hit by pitch allowed extra traffic on the base paths for Northwestern.
- Kameryn Etherington also started the second game, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and one run.
- Kate Kralik threw 1.1 innings in relief to wrap up the contest, allowing just one hit and all four outs being punch outs.
- The freshman now has 119 strike outs on the season.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach, Shane Bouman (on Etherington's complete game in game one…):
"Kam really stepped up for us today, she keeps improving."
Head Coach, Shane Bouman (free bases and how that plays into their aggressive style on the base paths…):
"We like to play at a fast pace and that is comfortable for us, things can happen quickly that way."
Head Coach, Shane Bouman (thoughts on the weekend overall…):
"3-1 on the road is a good weekend, but we need to build and learn from the tough lessons we have learned early in conference play."
STAT OF THE GAME:
13 - Free bases on the day (walks, hit by pitch, errors)
Up Next: Northwestern continues their road streak with another Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) clash at Briar Cliff on Wednesday, April 13. First pitch slated for 3:00 p.m. in Sioux City on the campus of Briar Cliff University.
