Softball Sweeps Wayne State

OVERVIEW – WAYNE STATE

SCORES: Northwood Timberwolves 6, Wayne State Warriors 2 (Game 1), Northwood  4, Wayne State 2 (Game 2)

RECORDS: Northwood 23-18-1, 13-9 GLIAC/Wayne State 26-17, 9-13 GLIAC

LOCATION: Fisher Stadium – Midland, Mich.

RECAP: Northwood picks up doubleheader sweep over Wayne State Friday afternoon (April 19).

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• Northwood struck right away. Julia Gross singled, Abby Joseph doubled, and Torriya Gray-Baker walked to load the bases with two out. Grace Dutoi came through with a single to score Gross and Joseph to make it 2-0.
• Karli Godlewski followed with another base hit to score Gray-Baker and extend the lead to 3-0 at the end of the first.
• Wayne State rebounded in the top of the third. After a two-out double, a single to right field scored the runner from second to make it a 3-1 game. Later in the inning, a throwing error moved a runner to third. Another single to right cut the Timberwolves' lead to 3-2 heading into the bottom of the inning.
• NU went to work and rebuilt their edge in the third. Joseph walked and Gray-Baker doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. Dutoi flew out to center, but a throwing error allowed pinch runner Alexis Koehler to score from third and make it a 4-2 game.
• Later in the third, Godlewski punctuated the inning with a bang. She smacked a two-run shot over the left-field fence to restore Northwood's edge at 6-2 heading into the fourth. That proved to be more than enough as Taylor Wright shut down WSU in seven strong innings.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 6/8/1, Wayne State: 2/7/2
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 3, Wayne State: 6
• Winning Pitcher – Taylor Wright (6-1): 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), K, 3 BB
• Losing Pitcher – Megan Guitar (15-10): 6 IP, 8 H, 6 R (3 ER), K, 3 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Godlewski: 2-2, HR, 3 RBI
• Julia Gross: 2-3, R
• Gray-Baker: 1-2, 2 R, BB
• Joseph: 1-2, R, BB

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Wayne State broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth. A one-out double put a runner at second with one out, and a two-run homer just over the center-field wall vaulted the Warriors to a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the frame.
• Northwood instantly responded in their ensuing at-bats. Sydni Culps doubled and Gray-Baker walked to lead off the inning. Grace Dutoi moved them up with a sacrifice bunt, and Alexis Koehler was able to score on an error to cut the deficit in half at 2-1 heading into the fifth.
• The Timberwolves took the lead in the fifth. Tara Gross singled and Julia Gross advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt. Culps walked, and Gray-Baker hit a frozen rope double to left field to score Tara Gross and tie the game at 2.
• Dutoi then came through with a two-out double down the left-field line to push across two more and give NU a 4-2 lead after five.
• Starter Shayna Frank made the lead stand up for her seventh win of the year.

GAME TWO STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors – Northwood: 4/4/0, Wayne State: 2/6/2
• Runners Left on Base – Northwood: 7, Wayne State: 8
• Winning Pitcher – Shayna Frank (7-7): 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 K, 4 BB
• Losing Pitcher – Paige Ameel (9-7): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, K, 4 BB

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Dutoi: 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI
• Gray-Baker: 1-2, 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI
• Culps: 1-2, 2B, 1 R, 1 BB
• Tara Gross: 1-4, 1 R

UP NEXT

• Northwood will host to Ashland on Saturday (April 20) for a doubleheader against the Eagles. First pitch is set for noon.