Softball Sweeps Purdue Northwest - NU Now 6-2 In The GLIAC

OVERVIEW – PURDUE NORTHWEST

SCORES: Northwood Timberwolves 5, Purdue Northwest Pride 4 (Eight Innings)/Northwood 6, Purdue Northwest 2

RECORDS: Northwood 16-11-1, 6-2 GLIAC/Purdue Northwest 12-8, 3-3 GLIAC

LOCATION: Fisher Stadium – Midland, Mich.

RECAP: Softball opened the home portion of their schedule with a pair of wins over Purdue Northwest Wednesday (March 27), earning a dramatic 5-4 win in game one before posting a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Purdue Northwest made the first hit of the game count. A two-out, solo home run just under the left-field scoreboard gave the Pride an early 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
• PNW added to their lead in the fourth. After two singles put runners at first and second with zero out, another hit plated the Pride's second run and extended their lead to 2-0.
• Northwood answered in the bottom of the fourth. After Sydni Culps reached on a fielder's choice, Tara Gross singled with two out to put runners at first and second. Abby Joseph walked, and Chase Schultz singled home two runs to tie the game at two heading into the top of the fifth.
• Purdue Northwest retook the lead in the top of the sixth. After a leadoff single to center, a double to the right-center field gap put the Pride ahead 3-2. Another sharp single down the right-field line doubled the lead to 4-2.
• The Timberwolves provided heroics in the bottom of the seventh. Julia Gross singled with one out, and Grace Dutoi smacked a two-run shot over the left field fence to tie the game at four and extend the game into extra innings.
• NU won it in the bottom of the eighth. Tara Gross walked to lead off the inning, Joseph dropped another sacrifice bunt to move her to second with one out. Schultz provided another big hit, ending the game with a walk-off single to give Northwood a comeback victory.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 5/12/1, Purdue Northwest: 4/10/0
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 7, Purdue Northwest: 5
• Winning Pitcher – April Bennett (6-2): 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 K, 0 BB
• Losing Pitcher – Ashley Bravo (1-1): 3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 K, 1 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Schultz: 2-4, 3 RBI
• Dutoi: 2-4, HR, 2 RBI
• Tara Gross: 2-3, 2 R
• Maddie Coulter/Sydni Culps: 2-4

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• The game was scoreless in the third inning when the Pride got on the board with an RBI double.
• Northwood responded right away in the bottom of the inning with the key rally of the game. Julia Gross started things with an RBI single.
• Dutoi followed with a run-scoring double to give the Timberwolves a 2-1 lead.
• NU then made it 3-1 on an error, which was followed by an RBI double by Tara Gross.
• Abby Joseph came through with a two-run single that finished off a six-run inning to give the Timberwolves a 6-1 lead.
• PNW got one in the sixth but that is as close as the Pride would get.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors Northwood: 6/7/0, Purdue Northwest: 2/9/3
• Runners Left on Base: Northwood: 7, Purdue Northwest: 6
• Winning Pitcher: Taylor Wright (2-1): 5 IP, 5 H, R, BB, 10 K
• Losing Pitcher: Courtney Blackwell (6-2): 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R (2 ER), 4 BB, 3 K

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Joseph: 1-3, 2 RBI
• Dutoi: 2B, R, RBI
• Tara/Julia Gross: R, H, RBI
• Bennett: 2 IP, R

UP NEXT

• The Timberwolves will host Davenport Saturday (March 30). Game time is set for 1 p.m.