Softball Opens 2023 With A Win Versus PNW, 6-2

OVERVIEW – Purdue Northwest 

SCORE: Northwood 6, Purdue Northwest 2

RECORDS: Northwood 1-0, Purdue Northwest 0-1

LOCATION: Music City Invitational - Smyrna, Tenn.

RECAP: Northwood softball began its 2023 season near Nashville Friday afternoon. The Timberwolves faced previous GLIAC foe Purdue Northwest. The Blue and White wound up beating the Pride, 6-2, to start the season, 1-0. Game two of the doubleheader versus Davenport was canceled due to inclement weather.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• PNW would score first via a throwing error and a groundout to move ahead in the bottom of the first, 0-1 PNW.
• The Pride would tack on another in the bottom of the third via two singles and a stolen base, 0-2 PNW.
• Freshman Delanie Gale came up huge for the Timberwolves in the top of the fifth. Gale cut the deficit in half as she shot a 1-2, 2-out pitch down the left field line to score Haley Frank from third, 1-2 PNW.
• The Timberwolves' momentum continued into the sixth. Madeline Skene (walk), Ashley Zeil (single to left), and Gianna Fantin (error) all reached to start of the top half of the sixth.
• One batter later, Jillian Krawczak hit a sac fly to center, scoring Lauren Bennett from third, 2-2.
• Frank would continue the sixth, singling to right-center, scoring Ashley Zeil, 3-2 NU.
• Brittany Steimel broke the game open during the Timberwolves' five-run sixth. She capped off the sixth with a blistering double to left center that cleared the bases, 6-2 NU.
• Hailey Leister would shut down the Pride offense, striking out 13 and allowing just two hits, as Northwood would go on to win 6-2

NORTHWOOD NOTES

• Leister set a career-high with 13 strikeouts during a game.
• Gale and Zeil picked up their first collegiate hits and RBI (Gale) during the game.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 6/6/2, Purdue Northwest 2/2/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 7, Purdue Northwest 3
• Winning Pitcher – Hailey Leister (1-0) 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 13 K
• Losing Pitcher – Maddison Roop (0-1) 5.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 7 BB, 4 K 

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Frank: 2-2, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
• Steimel: 1-4, 3 RBI
• Gale: 1-4, 2B, RBI
• Madison Jordan: 0-1, R, 3 BB