Rochester, Minn. – The Northern State University softball team continued their WSU Dome Tournament today, finishing the weekend with a 3-1 record overall. The Wolves defeated Pittsburg State 10-2 in six innings in their first game of the day, and after falling to Washburn University yesterday, came back to beat the Ichabods 7-2 in today's match-up.
 
Game One – Pittsburg State
 
Northern State picked up the early lead on Pittsburg State, tallying one run in the bottom of the first. With the 1-0 lead, the Wolves got going again in the third inning as Ashley Clapp reached on a fielding error by the pitcher. Kelsey Gale then stepped up to the plate and connected for a double through the left side to place runners on first and third. After an RBI single from Kalie Maiden and a fielder's choice, senior Macey Engel doubled to right field for the Wolves to add another run.
 
The Gorillas collected their first out of the inning after a pitching change. The final NSU run of the inning would come from a sacrifice fly to center field from junior Lauren Kunz.
 
Down 0-5, Pittsburg State looked to answer in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. The Gorillas strung together a double and an infield single to collect one run, however, Missy Elkins forced a groundout to escape the jam.
 
Northern State entered the bottom of the sixth with a 5-2 lead looking to break the game open. NSU would load the bases after two hit batters and a walk. Freshman Jamie Fisher, in her fourth plate appearance of the day, drilled a two run double to left center. In the clean-up position with two outs, Macey Engel blasted a three run homerun over left center to end the game in six innings.
 
Jamie Fisher and Macey Engel each went 2-4 in the game. Fisher picked up a double and three RBI's, while Engel collected a double, a homerun and four RBI's in her four at bats. Junior pitcher Missy Elkins held the Gorillas to just two earned run, nabbing five strikeouts in 28 total batters.
 
Game Two – Washburn University
 
Kelsey Gale led off the game with a shot to left field for her second homerun of the season. Northern state added one run in both the second and third innings, and exploded for four runs in the fourth inning.
 
Katie Dawson started the inning for the Wolves with a double to right center. Brittney Lash reached on a throwing error by Washburn's third baseman, and Lauren Kunz followed with a fielder's choice that scored pinch runner, Mackenzie Thielen. With the bases loaded, freshman Jamie Fisher ripped a single to right center two score two more runs for NSU.
 
Washburn did not let the 7-0 lead stand long as they led off the top of the fifth with a single up the middle, followed by a two-run homer to right center. The Ichabods added a double and a hit batter to the bases, but pitcher Rachel Albright forced a groundout to short to end the inning.
 
The two teams would finished out match-up at 7-2. Katie Dawson led the Wolves offensively going 3-3, with a double. Kelsey Gale, Kalie Maiden, Jamie Fisher and Rachel Albright each nabbed hits as well, while Fischer and Kunz collected two RBI's a piece. Albright, in her first appearance on the mound this season, held the Ichabods to two earned runs with four strikeouts and just two walks.
 
NSU will play in Aberdeen next Sunday at the Presentation College dome against Valley City State at 11 a.m. and Mayville State at 1 p.m..