Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Northern State University pitchers Kelley Suggs and Kelli Bornander held the St. Cloud State University Huskies scoreless for 11 of 13 innings on Monday as the Wolves battled their way to a Northern Sun split on the day, giving up one big inning in the opener of a 3-0 loss and taking advantage of a pair of SCSU errors in Game 2 to salvage a 2-1 victory in the nightcap.
The win snaps a nine-game skid for the Wolves, who move to 7-31 on the season and 3-19 in league play. SCSU slipped to 20-22 overall and 7-13 in the loop.
After battling Game 1 starter Kelley Suggs through five scoreless innings, the Huskies broke through in the bottom of the sixth with three runs on five hits, including three straight to start the inning, the last of which was a well-executed suicide squeeze off the bat of freshman Ally Koski.
Freshman Jordan Scherer also came up with a two-out, two-RBI bases-loaded single in that inning to complete the Husky scoring.
SCSU pitcher Alyssa Roberts then sat the Wolves down in order in the top of the seventh to preserve the win, her fourth of the season. NSU lefthander Suggs took the loss despite giving up just three runs in her complete-game performance. Suggs allowed nine hits and struck out five batters without issuing a walk.
Offensively, the Wolves knocked around eight hits, including three from Suggs and two each from freshman Brittany Lenander and sophomore Brittany Huback. NSU, however, stranded all eight runners on base, including a bases loaded, one-out opportunity in the top of the fourth inning.
Game two proved to be a reversal of fortunes for the Wolves, who jumped on a pair of Husky errors in the first inning to score all the runs they would need. Both runs came with two outs in the inning and off RBI singles to the left side from sophomore Cat Zimmerman and freshman Allyson Teclaw. Husky pitcher Brit Krieg finally recorded one of her seven strikeouts to get out of the inning, but the damage was done.
NSU's Bornander gave the Wolves a solid performance, allowing just four total hits and a lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pick up her fifth win of the season.
Offensively, the Wolves came up with five hits, all but one of which were singles. Sophomore Whitney Luhring knocked around her fifth double of the season in the third.
NSU returns home for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this week, hosting Jamestown on Wednesday and the University of Mary on Thursday. First pitch both days is slated for 2 p.m. at Moccasin Creek Complex.
