Softball Splits In Florida To Open 2016 Season

CLERMONT, FLA. – The Northwood University softball team opened the 2016 season with a pair of extra-inning games as a part of The Spring Games at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. on Saturday (March 5).

The Timberwolves first game of the day was a 2-1 loss to Lewis in eight innings. The Flyers improve to 9-7 on the year. In game two, NU forced nine innings to eventually win 6-4 over Kentucky-Wesleyan. The Panthers drop to 2-15 with the loss.

In game one, the Flyers were able to put a run on the board early to take a 1-0 lead. Northwood only managed a single hit through six innings, trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the seventh. Ashley Lynn (Garden City, Mich.) led off the inning with a walk before Jessica Tostrud (Kenosha, Wisc. / Mary D. Bradford) advanced her on a sacrifice bunt. Riley Ostapowicz (Grand Rapids, Mich. / West Catholic) followed with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Lynn to send the game into extra innings. Lewis was able to plate one run in the eighth to take the win. Casey Brown (Hudson, Ohio / Hudson) pitched the first seven innings and allowed just one run on eight hits. Vanessa Ewing (Maybee, Mich./Dundee) came in to pitch the final inning. Lewis out-hit Northwood 9-2 for the game.

Game two looked to be a similar story, as the Panthers plated a run in the first then both teams remained scoreless through four innings. KWC earned two more runs in the bottom of the fifth for a 3-0 lead. With one out and one runner on base, Jennifer Wontorcik (Midland, Mich. / Midland) hit a homerun to left center field scoring two runs in the sixth. Andria Gietl (Plymouth, Mich. / Ladywood) led off the seventh inning for a homer of her own to tie the game 4-4. Both teams plated a run in the eighth, before NU scored a pair of runs on three hits in the ninth. Ewing pitched all nine innings and picked up the win for the Timberwolves, striking out ten batters.

On the day, Ostapowicz scored two runs and registered a pair of RBI's, while Wontorcik recorded a pair of hits, including a homerun. Abby Joseph (Garden City, Mich. / Garden City) and Hayley D'Avilar (Georgetown, ON / Christ the King Catholic Secondary) each tallied an RBI. Gietl scored two runs, including a homerun of her own.

Northwood will play a pair of games on Sunday (March 6). NU will face Northern State at 1 p.m. followed by Southwest Minnesota State at 3 p.m.