Softball Sweeps Doubleheader Against Lake Erie

MIDLAND, MICH. - The Northwood University softball team swept Lake Erie Sunday afternoon (April 6). The Timberwolves earned an 8-0 game one win in just six innings. NU fought back in the seventh for a dramatic 11-10 victory in game two.

Northwood is 15-9 on the season, 6-2 in the GLIAC. Lake Erie falls to 3-18 overall, 0-10 in the GLIAC.

Senior Sam Zaborowski (Taylor, Mich. / Cabrini) led off the bottom of the second inning with a homerun and the Timberwolves didn't look back. In the bottom of the fifth, NU struck again plating a total of five runs on five hits. With bases loaded, Stacey Klonowski (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) was hit by a pitch scoring Hayley D'Avilar (Georgetown, ON / Christ the King). The next batter, Lindsay Obremski (DuBois, Pa./Dubois Area) singled up the middle to score both Ashley Lynn (Garden City, Mich.) and Malinda Smith (Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley). With Klonowski on third and Obremski on second, Zaborowski surprised everyone with a bunt scoring Klonowski and advancing Obremski to third. Jessica Tostrud (Kenosha, Wisc. / Mary D. Bradford) followed Zaborowski with a single to right field scoring Obremski for the fifth run of the inning. NU finished the game with two runs in the sixth for an 8-0 mercy rule win. For the game, Obremski went 2-3 with three RBI's and a run scored. Tostrud hit 3-3 with an RBI, while Zaborowski went 2-4 with a homerun. Casey Brown (Hudson, Ohio) pitched the scoreless game for the Timberwolves, facing 22 batters and allowing just six hits and a single walk. Brown is now 6-3 on the season after striking out seven batters.

In the second game, Lynn started the game with a homerun to right center for her first career homer. Zaborowski picked up an RBI later in the inning scoring Klonowski on a sacrifice fly to center field. After the Storm plated a single run in the bottom of the inning, NU answered back in the top of the second as Klonowski hit a three-run homer, which gives her 27 for her career. That is the most in Northwood history, beating the old mark of 25 by Michelle Boscola. Later in the inning, Andria Gietl (Plymouth, Mich. / Ladywood) doubled to left field plating both Zaborowski and Obremski. In the top of the third, Zaborowski singled to left field to score Lynn as the Timberwolves took an 8-2 lead. Lake Erie fought back, plating a run in the bottom of the fifth before rallying in the sixth scoring seven additional runs. A combined pitching effort moved the Timberwolves through the rally of the Storm. After Vanessa Ewing (Dundee, Mich.) relieved Maddison Sebald (Bay City, Mich./Western) in the third, Sebald re-entered in the sixth before Kayla Gust (Port Hope, Mich.) closed the game in the seventh. Against a total of 37 batters, the NU pitchers allowed ten hits and four walks with three strikeouts. NU entered the bottom of the seventh trailing 10-8. Northwood's rally began as Zaborowski singled to right field picking up her 24th RBI on the season. Tostrud followed with an RBI of her own to tie the game 10-10.  Pinch hitting with two outs, Lauren Look (Pinconning, Mich) reached on an error to score Zaborowski for the go-ahead run. The Timberwolves were able to close out the bottom of the inning and claim the victory. For the game, Klonowski hit 3-4 with a homerun and two runs scored. Lynn crossed the plate four times, including one from her lead-off homer to start the second game. Zaborowski is batting .443 on the season, after going 2-2 with three RBI's, as Gietl recorded two additional RBI's and a double in the comeback.

Northwood is scheduled to host Ferris State on Wednesday (April 9) for Military Appreciation Day. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:30 p.m.