Sioux Center, IA - Northwestern handles business on the road with two wins over Valley City State and York (Neb.) on Friday.
Game 1: NWC 13, VCS 6
Pitching Decisions
Win: Abby Flanagan (3-0)
Loss: M. Zander (1-1)
Save: None
How It Happened
The Raiders opened the game with a strong first inning, capitalizing on an error to score two runs.
Ashtyn Billings reached base and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by
Gwen Mikkelsen, followed by an RBI double from
Tatum Schmalbeck. The Vikings responded with a solo home run by Logan Gronberg, ending the inning with Northwestern leading 2-1.
In the second inning, the Raiders extended their lead with three runs.
Maddie Kvatek's single and stolen base set the stage for
Ashtyn Billings to reach on a fielder's choice, bringing Kvatek home. The inning continued with RBI hits from
Charli Bomgaars and
Gwen Mikkelsen, pushing the score to 5-1. VCSU managed to score two runs in their half of the inning, narrowing the gap to 5-3.
The fourth inning was pivotal for the Raiders, as they scored five runs to take a commanding lead. After Billings scored on a fielder's choice,
Tatum Schmalbeck hit a double that cleared the bases, bringing in three more runs.
Jori Hajek followed with an RBI double, capping the inning with Northwestern ahead 11-4.
In the seventh inning, the Raiders added two more runs to their tally, concluding the game with a 13-6 victory.Â
Game Notes
Game 2: NWC 4, YORK 0
Pitching Decisions
Win: Tatum Schmalbeck (1-0)
Loss: C. Lockhart (1-4)
Save: None
How It Happened
In the first inning, Northwestern capitalized on an early opportunity, scoring two runs. Consecutive singles followed by an error allowed
Ashtyn Billings to cross home plate, followed by
Charli Bomgaars scoring after a stolen base by
Jori Hajek, giving the Raiders a 2-0 lead.
The second inning saw the Raiders extend their lead to 3-0. Bomgaars executed a sacrifice bunt, allowing
Cassidy Gors to score. The Panthers were unable to respond, leaving three runners stranded in their half of the inning.
During the sixth inning, the Raiders added another run to their tally. Tatum Schmalbec singled and was replaced by pinch runner
Reese Marek, who advanced to third on a bunt single and a sacrifice. Marek then scored on a wild pitch, sealing the game at 4-0.
Game Notes
- The pitchers of Schmalbeck, Jacobsen, and Flanagan pitched a shutout with 7 strikeouts and 5 hits allowed
- Ellie Jacobsen pitched 6 of 7 strikeouts in her 3 innings
- 7 hits for the Raiders only turned into one RBI as they capitalized on errors and key baserunning
- This would be the second time this season Northwestern defeated York (Neb.) after winning 12-1 on February 1st
