The Northwestern College softball team swept a GPAC doubleheader against Dakota Wesleyan last night played in Mitchell, S.D, 3-2 and 9-0 (5 innings). Coach Mason's squad has won four straight games and improves to 20-14 overall, 10-6 in the GPAC with eight leagues games left in the regular season.
The Red Raiders trailed 2-0 in game one before they took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Rachel Harris led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a Lara Vonnahmen one-out single. With two out, Michelle Van Duyn singled which scored Harris and moved Vonnahmen to third. After Van Duyn stole second, Amy Larson smacked a two-run single which gave NWC the lead, 3-2. Lexy Determan shut the door on any Tiger rally as she did not allow a hit in the final three innings and struck out five of the final nine DWU batters. Determan gave up six hits, two runs and struck out eight as she improved to 14-7 this season. Van Duyn, Harris and Vonnahmen all had two hits for NWC in game one.
Gavi Burrola pitched a complete game two hit shutout in the Red Raiders 9-0, five-inning game two win. The junior struck out two and did not walk a batter as she improved to 6-7 this season. Coach Mason's squad scored three runs in the first, three more in the third inning to jump out to a 6-0 lead. They closed out the scoring with two runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth. Northwestern totaled nine hits, led by Lizz Swanson who went 2-4 with two runs and one RBI. She led off the fifth inning with her 10th home run of the season. Rachel Harris went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Northwestern will host three straight doubleheaders, beginning with Briar Cliff on Wednesday, April 23.
2008 media guide
