Winona, Minn. – The Northern State University softball team handed No. 13 Winona State their first league loss of the season in Saturday's opener. The Wolves split with the Warriors, notching 19 total runs on the day.
THE QUICK DETAILS
Game 1 Final Score: NSU 10, WSU 3
Game 2 Final Score: NSU 9, WSU 10
Records: NSU 12-8 (3-3 NSIC), WSU 16-3 (5-1 NSIC)
Game 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Winona State scored two runs in the bottom of the second, taking their first lead of the game
- NSU grabbed the lead in the top of the first, notching three runs off the bats of Kennady Thompson, Chanel Siebenthal, and Natalie Gabbert
- Makenzie Merritt plated Ashley Fauske on a single to left center in the fourth, giving Northern a 4-2 lead
- The Wolves added another two runs in the sixth and four runs in the seventh, with the Warriors notching one run in the bottom of the sixth
- Scoring for NSU in the sixth was Reinke and Emma Terveer, while Gabbert, Reinke, Shelby Novotny, and Fauske scored in the seventh
- Northern recorded their ten runs on 18 hits without giving up an error defensively
- Elyse Cuttic tossed her sixth win of the season, giving up three earned runs on eight hits with 12 strikeouts
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Ashley Fauske: 4-for-5, 3 runs, 1 RBI
- Kennady Thompson: 3-for-3, 1 run, 5 RBI
- Rachel Reinke: 3-for-5, 3 runs, double
- Elyse Cuttic: 7.0 IP, 8 hits, 3 earned runs, 12 strikeouts, win, 1-for-4
Game 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Winona State scored first again in game two, notching six runs through two complete
- The Wolves put together a powerful seventh inning, scoring seven runs on seven hits
- Emma Terveer and Rachel Reinke led off the third with a single to right and walk; the pair came around to score on a single by Ashley Fauske and homerun by Makenzie Merritt
- Chanel Siebenthal and Shelby Novotny were not to be left out, belting their own long ball the following two at-bats to left
- NSU added two more runs in the top of the sixth from Fauske and Reinke, however it was not enough as the Warriors answered back with four in the bottom of the frame
- Northern recorded nine runs on 13 hits, while Winona State notched ten runs on ten hits
- Meghan Anderson suffered her fifth loss of the 2021 season, throwing six complete innings
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Ashley Fauske: 3-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, stolen base
- Rachel Reinke: 2-for-4, 2 runs,
- Chanel Siebenthal: 2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, homerun
- Shelby Novotny: 2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, double, homerun
- Emma Terveer: 2-for-4, 1 run
UP NEXT
Northern State kicks off a 10-game home stand on Wednesday versus UMary. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Moccasin Creek Complex. Live links will be posted on the schedule page at nsuwolves.com.