Softball Takes Split Behind Combined No-Hitter Versus Wayne St. (NE.)

OVERVIEW – Minnesota State-Mankato and Wayne State (Neb.)

SCORES: Northwood 0, Minnesota St.- Makato 2 / Northwood 5, Wayne St. 2

RECORDS: Northwood 6-4, Minnesota State-Mankato 9-4 / Northwood 7-4, Wayne St. 2-14

LOCATION: Auburndale Sports Complex–Kissimmee, FL. 

RECAP: The Northwood softball team took the bad with a good today. After being shutout in the first game versus Minnesota State-Mankato, the Timberwolves rallied to throw a combined no-hitter versus the Wildcats of Wayne St. (NE.)

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS – Minnesota State-Mankato

• Mankato opened the scoring early in the first with back-to-back hits to lead off the game. Mankato had runners on first and second before a single through the right side put Mankato on top 1-0.
• Three innings of scoreless softball went by until Mankato was able to put a runner on third via a single and stolen base. Minnesota-State's hitter then hit a soft ground ball to third that took a funky sideways hop to score a run, 2-0. 

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 0/2/1, Minnesota State-Mankato 2/5/0
• Runners left on base: Northwood 5, Minnesota State-Mankato 6
• Winning Pitcher – Makenzie Ward (6-2): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 4 K
• Losing Pitcher – Shayna Frank (4-2): 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 6 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• S. Frank: 1-3, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 6 K
• Fantin: 1-3
• Grundman: 0-1, 2 BB

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS – Wayne St. (NE.)

• Northwood threw a combined no-hitter versus WSU. 
• Although the Wildcats scored early via an error on a pop up that scored two runners, both were on via walks.
• The Timberwolves answered right back with two of their own in the bottom of the inning. An error and passed ball scored Gianna Fantin and Alexis Koehler two tie the game at 2-2. 
• Brynn Polega took control of the game in the second and only allowed one base runner (walk) over the next three innings. 
• In the third, the T-Wolves scored two via a Haley Frank single to right that turned into Alexis Koehler scoring from first and Frank cruising into third. Delanie Grundman then singled to score Frank, 4-2. 
• Hailey Leister came in to pitch the remaining innings and shutdown the Wildcats going three up three down the final three innings.
• The Timberwolves tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth when Madelin Skene scored on a wild pitch, 5-2.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 5/6/1, Wayne St. (NE.) 2/0/3
• Runners left on base: Northwood 6, Wayne St. (NE.) 3
• Winning Pitcher: Brynn Polega (1-0) 4.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R (0 ER), 4 BB, 1 K
• Losing Pitcher: Samantha Felt (0-3) 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Polega: 4.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R (0 ER), 4 BB, 1 K
• Leister: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K
• Koehler: 1-3, 2 R, BB
• H. Frank: 1-3, RBI, R
• Skene: 1-3, SB, R

UP NEXT

Northwood is back for day four of Florida action tomorrow afternoon versus Mercyhurst at 2:30 PM and Winona St. at 4:45 PM.