The Northwestern College softball team went 2-0 on day one of the 2008 GPAC Softball Championship. The Red Raiders, the fourth seed, improve to 27-17 overall and will play third-seeded Morningside at noon tomorrow (Friday, May 2) in the winner's bracket championship game.
The Red Raiders opened with a 7-2 win over fifth-seed Briar Cliff. Both teams recorded seven hits but the Chargers committed two errors in the field compared to zero for NWC. Northwestern opened the scoring with five runs in the bottom of the third inning, led by senior Lizz Swanson who belted a one-out grand slam home run which scored Amy Larson, Michelle Van Duyn and Jenny Otto. Briar Cliff scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning on three hits but the Red Raiders answered back with two in the bottom of the fifth to close out the scoring. With two outs, Lara Vonnahmen reached base on an error by the Charger second baseman which allowed Sara Curry and Swanson to score.
Lexy Determan picked up her 19th win of the season as she scattered seven hits over seven innings. She struck out eight and walked three. Swanson and Curry led the offense with two hits each and Swanson added two runs scored and four RBIs.
Northwestern then knocked off top-seed Concordia, 2-1 in 10 innings, to advance to the winner's bracket championship game.
Determan earned her 20th win of the season as she went all 10 innings and gave up just six hits and one earned run. The reigning GPAC/Regional and NAIA Pitcher-of-the-Week did not walk a batter and struck out eight. Concordia scored their only run in the first inning on back-to-back, two-out doubles.
Offensively, Northwestern recorded six hits, led by Stacey Godfrey who went 2-for-5 and one RBI. Curry, Rachel Harris, Vonnahmen and Gavi Burrola added one hit each. Trailing 1-0, the Red Raiders tied the game in the fifth inning when Curry smacked an RBI single that scored Larson. Northwestern went ahead in the 10th inning when Swanson walked with one out, stole second, followed by an RBI single by Godfrey.
Northwestern advances to play Morningside tomorrow at noon in a winner's bracket championship game. The eight-team, double elimination tournament is being played at the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Neb. and will conclude tomorrow evening (Friday, May 2).
2008 media guide
