Wisconsin-Superior Box Score
Valley City State Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Northern State University Wolves dropped their second straight 1-run decision on Saturday but bounced back to claim a run-rule victory on Sunday to split their final two games at the St. Cloud State Husky Dome Invitational this past weekend.  NSU fell by a 4-3 count to Wisconsin-Superior in Saturday's contest before closing out their opening weekend of play with an 11-3 win over Valley City State.

The Wolves are now 1-3 on the season heading into their 12-game slate at the Rebel Spring Games, starting Friday in Kissimmee, Fla.

After dropping a pair of non-conference games to SCSU on Friday to kick off the 2010 season, the Wolves nearly pulled off a come-from-behind win on Saturday against UWS.  The Wolves put themselves behind the eight ball early on, however, committing three errors in a 3-run Yellowjacket fourth inning.  That burst, coupled with a run in the second inning, put the Yellowjackets up 4-0 heading into the final three at-bats for the Wolves.

NSU got one of those runs back in the top of the fifth after newcomer Natasha Neu led off the inning with a single, then moved up to third on a passed ball and a ground-out.  Sophomore Ashley Gabler, facing a 2-out situation with a runner in scoring position, then delivered with an RBI single to put the Wolves on the board.

Neu was also the catalyst for the Wolves' two runs in the top of the sixth inning.  The freshman rapped out a 2-out single that plated both Brittany Huback and Whitney Luhring to make it a 1-run affair.

NSU right-hander Kelli Bornander then set the Yellowjackets down in order in the bottom of the sixth, allowing the Wolves one last crack at the scoreboard.  UWS pitcher Kalli Kucharyski, however, returned the favor with a 1-2-3 inning of her own to preserve the win.

Bornander, who entered the game in relief in the third inning, absorbed the loss for the Wolves despite giving up just one unearned run in three total innings of work.

Sunday's contest proved to be a reversal of roles for the Wolves, who used the long ball liberally en-route to an 11-3 victory.

The Wolves jumped out in front in the first inning on a 3-run homer from sophomore third-baseman Whitney Luhring.  Junior Lindsey Cegla also doubled home two runs in that stanza to give the Wolves a 5-0 cushion out of the gates.

Leading 6-3 after three innings, Luhring again went yard with a 2-run shot off VCSU starter Paige Smith, giving the Wolves a 9-3 advantage heading into the late stages of the game.

But the Wolves weren't done.  Freshman pinch hitter Stacie Wieseler joined the NSU home run club in her first collegiate plate appearance after crushing the first pitch she saw out of the park for NSU's 10th run of the day.

Bornander, who again came on in relief, picked up the win after shutting down VCSU through three and two-thirds innings of work.  The sophomore gave up three hits and struck out three en-route to the win.