The Northwestern College softball team closed regular season play with a split of a GPAC doubleheader against Morningside last night, 5-1 and 4-0. The Red Raiders are now 15-9 in the GPAC and tied for fourth place with Briar Cliff and Dana. Northwestern, however, holds the tie break over both teams and will the fourth seed heading into this weekend's GPAC tournament. They are 25-17 overall.
In game one, Lexy Determan earned her 18th win of the season in leading the Red Raiders to a 5-1 win over Morningside. Determan, who earned GPAC and Region Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for the second straight week, gave up six hits and one earned run. She struck out 13 and increased her GPAC leading total to 220 strikeouts this season. Offensively, NWC had eight hits against 2007 GPAC Pitcher-of-the-Year, Kelly Baumert, led by Michelle Van Duyn who went 3-for-4. Five other Red Raiders added one hit apiece, including Lizz Swanson who drove in two runs. Northwestern broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning when Swanson smacked a two-run single with two outs. The Red Raiders added three more runs in the sixth, all with two outs, aided by a Morningside error. Amy Larson also had an RBI single in the inning.
Northwestern managed just two hits in their 4-0 loss to the Mustangs in game two. Van Duyn and Determan each had a single against Morningside starter Whitney McElrath, who struck out five. Gavi Burrola picked up the loss (7-9) as she allowed nine hits and four runs in seven innings. She struck out three and walked one.
The Red Raiders will open GPAC Tournament play on Thursday, May 1 against fifth-seed Briar Cliff at 2:00 pm. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament is being played at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Neb. and will conclude on Saturday, May 3.
2008 media guide
