Softball Sweeps Parkside

OVERVIEW – WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE

SCORES: Northwood Timberwolves 6, Parkside Rangers 3 (Game 1), Northwood Timberwolves 8, Wisconsin-Parkside 2 (Game 2)

RECORDS: Northwood 18-11-1, 8-2 GLIAC/Wisconsin-Parkside 0-28, 0-10 GLIAC

LOCATION: Fisher Stadium – Midland, Mich.

RECAP: Softball earns sweep over Parkside Sunday afternoon (March 31), earning wins by the score of 6-3 and 8-2.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Parkside played some long ball to strike early in the first. With a runner at second reaching on an error, a two-run homer over the right-center field fence vaulted the Rangers into a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the inning.
• Northwood responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. Maddie Coulter and Julia Gross walked to begin the inning, and Torriya Gray-Baker plated Gross on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead in half at 2-1.
• UWP regained their two-run lead in the third. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, and an error scored the runner from third to make it 3-1 Rangers. Northwood starter Shayna Frank was able to limit the damage from there, stranding the bases loaded.
• In a back-and-forth affair, NU responded again in the third to tie the game. Maddie Coulter, Julia Gross, and Grace Dutoi reached on two singles and a walk to load the bases. Sydni Culps laced a single to right field, and Tara Gross reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-3 heading into the fourth.
• The Timberwolves took their first lead of the day in the fourth. Karli Godlewski and Chase Schultz singled to start the inning, Coulter moved them to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, and Dutoi singled them home with a single to put Northwood out in front 5-3 going into the fifth.
• NU tacked on some insurance runs in the sixth. Coulter walked, advanced to second on a stolen base, and Dutoi plated her with a clutch two-out double down to give Northwood a three-run lead, one that April Bennett made stand up as the Timberwolves took the first game of the doubleheader.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 6/8/2, Parkside: 3/8/0
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 10, Parkside: 7
• Winning Pitcher – April Bennett (7-2): 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB
• Losing Pitcher – Kiley Akey (0-6): 6.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, K, 5 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Dutoi: 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI, R

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third. Coulter singled and stole second to lead off the inning. Grace Dutoi then reached on a hit-by-pitch and Sydni Culps walked to load the bases with two out. Coulter scored from third on a wild pitch, and Tara Gross drove in two more with a double to right to cap off a big frame and give the Timberwolves a 3-0 lead after three innings of play.
• Wisconsin-Parkside responded quickly in the fourth, leading off the frame with a solo home run to cut the lead to 3-1.
• NU responded and took control in the bottom of the inning. Karli Godlewski reached on an error, and Chase Schultz found the left-center field gap to score her from first and make it 4-1 Northwood. Later in the frame with the bases loaded, Culps cleared them all on a grand slam over the right-center field fence to vault the Timberwolves to an 8-1 lead after four.
• Parkside scored one in the bottom of the sixth but were unable to get any closer

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 8/7/1, Wayne State: 2/5/1
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 7, Wayne State: 6
• Winning Pitcher – Taylor Wright (3-1): 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 12 K, 2 BB
• Losing Pitcher – Kate Czoschke (0-6): 4.0 IP, 6 H, 8 R (4 ER), 3 K, 5 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Culps: 1-2, GS, 4 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
• Coulter: 4-4, 2 R, RBI
• Gross: 2-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB

NORTHWOOD NOTES

• Taylor Wright tossed her second consecutive 10-strikeout game. She has allowed just 3 earned runs in 26 innings of work this season.

UP NEXT

• Northwood will travel to Grand Valley State on Tuesday (April 2) for a doubleheader against the Lakers. First pitch is set for 3:30 p.m.