Game One Box | Game Two Box
Clermont, Fla. – Day one of the NTC games brought a Wolves softball split and continued success from senior Eryn Yancy. Northern took both the Timberwolves and the Pumas to extra innings, defeating Northwood 5-4 and falling to Saint Joseph 5-6. The Wolves move to 5-3 on the year with ten games remaining from the sunshine state.
 
Game One
The Wolves jumped on Northwood early in game one scoring in the bottom of the first inning. Kelsey Gale led off the inning with a walk and advanced of a passed ball in the next at bat. Kalie Maiden then singled to the third basemen, moving Gale to third place and leaving the Wolves with runners on first and third. Rachel Albright was awarded the RBI in the inning, scoring Gale off a sacrifice fly to right.
 
Northwood however answered back with a run of their own in the top of the second, as Kami Smesmo gave up a Timberwolf lone ball to center field. The two teams remained tied through three innings of play before NU added two runs to take the lead in the top of the fourth.
 
It was then Macey Engel's turn to jack her first of the year, a solo shot to left field, bringing NSU within one. Smesmo threw lights out for the Wolves in the sixth recording three straight strikeouts and propelling the teams' seventh inning comeback.
 
Northern was on their last out of the inning, down one in the bottom of the seventh, as Rachel Albright stepped to the plated and doubled to right. After her homerun two at bats prior, the Timberwolves opted to intentionally walk the NSU first basemen, Engel, leaving the Wolves with runners on first and second. Freshmen Katie Dawson saw her opportunity and doubled to center scoring Ashley Clapp, who pinch ran for Albright, and tying the game up for Northern. The women were unable to push the go ahead run across and seal the victory as they two teams headed to extras.
 
Per NTC Games rules the eighth inning began with the international tie-breaker rule, where each team places the last batted out on second in their respective innings. Northwood came out in the top of the eighth, advancing their runner on a bunt single and sacrifice fly, to put the Timberwolves up 4-3. Katelynn Dilts began the bottom of the eighth on second for the Wolves and was quickly advanced to home by a Brittney Lash double to center field. With no outs in the inning, Lauren Kunz stepped to the plate, and moved Lash 60 feet closer to home plate and the NSU win, with a sacrifice bunt to the third basemen. Kelsey Gale then earned herself the game winning RBI, with a single through the left side easily scoring Lash on the play.
 
Smesmo notched her third win of the season for the Wolves throwing a complete eight innings. The senior struck out four in the game while giving up three earned runs.  
 
Game Two
 
The Wolves fell behind early in game two versus the Pumas, who scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Down 1-5 heading into the fifth inning of play the Wolves rally began.
 
Kelsey Gale started the Wolves attack with a single to center. Two out innings seemed to be the story of the day for NSU, as Eryn Yancy stepped to the plate and belted her fourth homerun of the season scoring Gale and bringing the Wolves within two. Rachel Albright walked the next at bat, and later came around to score off a Katie Dawson single to center.
 
Starter Missy Elkins held the Pumas in the bottom of the inning with two runners in scoring position, forcing a line drive to the shortstop and ground ball to end the inning. Elkins threw a complete eight innings for the Wolves giving up three earned runs and six hits.
 
A scoreless sixth inning brought the Wolves to the top of their lineup in the seventh. Yancy continued her powerful week for Northern, hitting her fifth homerun of the season, a blast to center with one out in the top of the seventh. The long ball gave NSU the 5-5 tie with St. Joe being unable to take the lead.
 
NSU held SJC in the bottom of the inning, and the two teams headed to the eighth for the second time in as many games. Northern was unable to score in the eighth and fell to the Pumas in the bottom of the inning.
 
Northern is back in action tonight from Clermont with two games versus Bloomsburg and Kutztown.