Aberdeen, S.D. –
Jenna Helgeson sealed the Northern State University softball sweep over Minnesota Crookston on Saturday afternoon, belting her second double of the game in the bottom of the eighth. Northern took game one with a score of 7-4 and game two with a score of 5-4, improving to 13-11 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC.
The Wolves notched the first runs of the game in the opening match-up, tallying two runs off the bat of
Katie Dawson. The senior singled to centerfield, scoring
Cassidy Schaar and
Kennady Thompson who reached base via a fielder's choice and single up the middle. The Golden Eagles answered back with one run in the second and another two in the third, grabbing the 3-2 lead.
Northern however was not finished scoring once in the third and four times in the bottom of the fourth. Dawson kick started the rally in the third with a single through the left side, and came around to score on a sacrifice fly to left by
Katie Uittenbogaard. Makenzie Thielen led off the bottom of the fourth for NSU with a bunt single, and came around to score the following at-bat on a triple through the left side by
Courtney Sjerven. Schaar kept things rolling with a double to right centerfield, plating Sjerven, while Thompson belted her first homerun of the afternoon to dead center field. The four runs gave Northern the 7-3 lead which would hold through the final three innings of work.
Sjerven led the team going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Thompson, Dawson, and
Jamie Fisher each notched two hits, with Thompson and Dawson each recording two RBI. Schaar, Helgeson, Uittenbogaard, and Thielen grabbed the final four team hits for the Wolves, as NSU combined for 13 in the game.
Fisher earned her eighth win of the season throwing seven complete innings. The junior gave up four runs, three earned, on 11 hits with five strikeouts.
The two teams were scoreless through the first two frames in game two, as the Golden Eagles scored first with two runs in the top of the third. UMC tacked on another two runs in the top of the fifth, however the Wolves answered back in the bottom half of the inning. Helgeson was hit-by-pitch to led off the inning and came around to score on a double by Uittenbogaard to left center. Uittenbogaard scored two at-bats later, as Sjerven single through the left side and brought the Wolves within two.
Northern tied things in the bottom of the sixth, led off by a Thompson's second long ball of the day, this time to left field. Sitting within one, Helgeson doubled to right center plating
Rachel Reinke who was pinch running for Dawson (reached via a double down the left field line). The Wolves were unable to push another run across in the inning and went down one-two-three in the seventh forcing extra innings.
The NSU defense held the Golden Eagles at bay in the top of the eighth, and entered the bottom half of the inning with the middle of the line-up on tap. Dawson notched a 1-out single up the middle, which was mirrored by Fisher in the following at-bat. Helgeson stepped to the plate, and connected for her second double of the game, this time to left center field, scoring Dawson and sealing the 5-4 victory for NSU.
Makenzie Merritt started on the hill for NSU, throwing 5.0 innings and giving up four runs, one earned, on six hits with four strikeouts. Fisher entered in relief, throwing the final 3.0 innings and notching her ninth win of the season. The junior held the Golden Eagles scoreless, giving up just two hits and striking out one.
Dawson and Helgeson led the offense with two hits and one run scored apiece. Helgeson led the team with two RBI on her two doubles, while Sjerven, Thompson, and Uittenbogaard each notched an RBI. Sjerven, Thompson, Fisher and Uittenbogaard each notched a hit each, as the Wolves combined for eight in the win. Northern struggled defensively, giving up three errors and three unearned runs, however pressured the UMC defense which gave up two errors.
NSU returns to action on Tuesday for a 2 and 4 p.m. doubleheader at St. Cloud State.
