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Northwestern College Athletics

Northwestern College
HOME OF NORTHWESTERN RED RAIDERS ATHLETICS
HONORING CHRIST THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
Nike
sb-recap-gpactourney-230503
2
Mount Marty MMU 17-21, 10-12 GPAC
5
Winner Northwestern NWC 44-6, 18-4 GPAC
Mount Marty MMU
17-21, 10-12 GPAC
2
Final
5
Northwestern NWC
44-6, 18-4 GPAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Mount Marty MMU 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2 5 3
Northwestern NWC 0 1 2 1 1 0 X 5 6 1

W: Etherington, Kameryn (19-5) L: M. Gray (7-10) S: Kralik, Kate (5)

0
Briar Cliff (IA) BCU 33-15
9
Winner Northwestern NWC 45-6
Briar Cliff (IA) BCU
33-15
0
Final
9
Northwestern NWC
45-6
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Briar Cliff (IA) BCU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Northwestern NWC 4 1 4 0 X 9 7 0

W: Kralik, Kate (18-1) L: K. Kotlarz (12-8)

Game Recap: Softball | | NWC Athletic Communications

Raider Softball Advances in GPAC Tournament After 2-0 Day

Kralik pitches no-hitter, Etherington hits two home runs

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Kate Kralik threw her first-career no-hitter as the Northwestern softball team (45-6, 18-4 GPAC) used two wins to advance in the winner's bracket of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) tournament on Wednesday afternoon in Orange City.

GAME 1: NWC 5, MMU 2
 
Pitching Decisions
Win: Kameryn Etherington (19-5)
Loss: McKenzie Gray (7-10)
Save: Kate Kralik (5)
 
How It Happened
The Raider defense, led by pitcher Kameryn Etherington (Jr., Algona, Iowa) kept Mount Marty at bay for over four innings, setting up a 5-2 win in the first round of the GPAC tournament.
 
Mount Marty threatened to break onto the scoreboard first, putting two runners in scoring position before Etherington struck out the final two batters of the inning to keep the score knotted at 0-0.
 
Northwestern struck first, getting one run home in the second frame on an RBI single from Maddie Kvatek (Jr., Stevens Point, Wis.) with runners on first and second.
 
The Raiders then pushed two runs across in the third, with Gwen Mikkelsen (Jr., Casa Grande, Ariz.) crossing home on a throwing error and Madysn Grotewold (Jr., Larchwood, Iowa) later scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Chloe Gallegos (So., Carroll, Iowa).
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Northwestern scored for the third-straight inning as Mikkelsen extended her hitting streak to 12 games and drove in her 55th RBI of the year on a base hit with two runners on, bringing the Raider advantage to 4-0.
 
Mount Marty got rid of their scoreless mark in the fifth, with Lilinoe Nihi drove an RBI single into the right field corner, making the score 4-1.
 
Despite leaving the pitching circle in the previous inning, Etherington continued to display good work at the plate, hitting a ball deep to center field that bounced off the fielder's glove and out of the park for a home run.
 
The Lancers added a run on a solo shot in the sixth, but it was not enough as the Raiders pushed Mount Marty to the brink of elimination with a 5-2 win.
   
Game Notes
  • Kameryn Etherington pitched 4.2 innings, only giving up one run and striking out three.
  • She also had an effective day at the plate, hitting a home run.
  • Ashtyn Billings had two steals and extended her hitting streak to 14 games.
  • Kate Kralik was strong in relief, striking out three batters and earning the save.
  • Gwen Mikkelsen had a base-hit RBI to move her hitting streak to 12 games.
  • Maddie Kvatek collected two hits and an RBI.
 
GAME 2: NWC 9, BCU 0
 
Pitching Decisions
Win: Kate Kralik (18-1)
Loss: Katelyn Kotlarz (12-8)
Save: None
 
How It Happened
For the first time since March 7, 2021, a Raider pitcher threw a no-hitter, as Kate Kralik (So., Indianola, Iowa) had an efficient 75-pitch outing over five innings to achieve her first-career no-hit bid.
   
The crowd was into the action from the start as Kameryn Etherington blasted a no-doubt home run to deep center field, a grand slam to get Northwestern out to a 4-0 lead. It was Etherington's seventh homer of the year and third game in a row with a blast.
 
Northwestern continued to pile it on over the next two innings, scoring one in the second via the groundout, and adding four more in the third. Ashtyn Billings (Fr., Ankeny, Iowa) pushed her hitting streak to 15 games, hitting an RBI bunt single to give the Raiders a 6-0 lead. After a bunt single by Charli Bomgaars (So., Boyden, Iowa) in the next at-bat, Chloe Gallegos scored on a fielder's choice, making it 7-0. Ellie Jacobson (Jr., Humboldt, Iowa) then joined the party, using a pinch-hit opportunity to line the ball into left field, extending the Northwestern lead to 9-0.
 
With a nine-run lead and the eight-run rule quickly becoming a factor, Kralik shut down the Charger bats in the final inning, getting two flyouts and a strikeout to secure the no-hitter and move Northwestern into the conference semifinals.
 
Game Notes
  • Kate Kralik threw a five-inning complete game shutout, giving up no hits and only allowing three baserunners.
  • Kameryn Etherington now has three-straight games with a home run and two with grand slams.
  • Etherington had a two-hit day with four RBIs.
  • Ashtyn Billings now holds a 15-game hitting streak.
  • Charli Bomgaars went 2-2 at the plate.
  • Northwestern is on the cusp of breaking two team records – one win from breaking the single-season wins mark, and four strikeouts from hitting the single-season pitching staff strikeouts record.
 
"Today was a day when the Raiders did all the little things that we've been known to do all year," said head coach Shane Bouman. "We bunted well, ran bases, pitched and played defense. When we do those things, we have a nice team to work with."
 
Up Next: The Raiders will play again tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., hosting the winner of Briar Cliff vs. Mount Marty. A Northwestern win would put them in the championship series on Saturday, while a loss would set up a win-and-advance scenario in a 4:00 p.m. game tomorrow.
Don't forget to follow Northwestern College Athletics on Facebook @nwcraiders, Twitter @nwcraiders, and Instagram @nwcraiders! #RaidersStandOut
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