Photo GalleryAberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University softball team recorded a split with St. Cloud State University in their first NSIC home games of the season. Northern fell in game on 3-0, however game back to take game two in five innings. The Wolves move to 18-11 on the year and 5-1 in conference play.
Game One The Wolves threatened in game one leaving five runners on base, however were unable to come away with a run.
Kelsey Gale,
Rachel Albright,
Macey Engel, and
Katie Dawson each recorded hit in the loss.
Kami Smesmo suffered her fifth loss of the season throwing five innings and giving up three earned runs.
Missy Elkins entered in relief throwing two scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh.
Game Two Northern bounced back in game two, returning to their winning ways. After two scoreless innings of play, the Wolves batted through the line up in both the third and fourth innings.
Kelsey Gale led off the third for NSU with a single up the middle.
Kalie Maiden and
Eryn Yancy followed with singles of their own through the left side. Yancy scored Gale with her base hit down the line, putting the Wolves on the board.
Rachel Albright stepped to the plate, and snuck a single through the right side, scoring
Kalie Maiden.
Brittney Lash recorded the final RBI of the inning with a single up the middle, bring Yancy around to score.
The Wolves were up 3-0 heading to the fourth, but they were not through just yet.
Macey Engel started the scoring for NSU, plating
Kalie Maiden on a fielder's choice/error by the pitcher.
Katie Dawson then added her second hit of the day, a single through the left side to score
Eryn Yancy with the bases loaded.
Brittney Lash then blasted a double to right center plating both
Rachel Albright and
Mackenzie Thielen, running for Engel.
Michaela Liebl and
Lauren Kunz each tallied and RBI in the final at-bats of the inning with a sacrifice line-out to left and single up the middle. Northern tallied six runs in the inning, putting themselves in position for the mercy rule victory.
Kami Smesmo put St. Cloud State down in the bottom half of the inning to secure the run rule victory. The senior tallied her 12
th win and third shutout of the season. Lash led the team with two hits and three RBI in the win.
NSU will return home this Friday and Saturday for match-ups with Augustana College and Wayne State. Game times are set for 1 and 3 p.m., Friday against the Vikings, and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday versus the Wildcats. Both doubleheaders will be played from Moccasin Creek Softball Complex.
