The Northwestern College softball team fell to Doane, 3-2, in an elimination game at the GPAC Softball Tournament. The Red Raiders finished GPAC postseason play with a 2-2 record and will have to wait until Monday to find out if they have qualified for the eight-team Region III Softball Tournament hosted by Morningside College next week. Northwestern is 27-19 overall.
The Tigers out-hit Northwestern 8-5 as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three-and-a-half innings. The Red Raiders scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Rachel Harris which scored Sara Curry. Northwestern cut the lead down to one in the sixth inning when Curry hit a two-out single, advanced to second on a walk to Stacey Godfrey and scored on a two-base error by the Doane pitcher. Coach Mason's squad, however, could not get the tying run across and fell, 3-2.
Curry led the offense with two hits and two runs scored. Lizz Swanson, Harris and Gavi Burrola all had one hit apiece. Burrola picked up the loss on the mound as she pitched a complete-game eight-hitter. She gave up three runs and walked two.
In the first game of the day, the Red Raiders lost to Morningside, 4-1, in a winner's bracket game. The teams' combined for nine hits, five by Morningside and four by the Red Raiders, as both pitcher's were in command. Morningside scored two runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth to grab a 4-0 lead. Northwestern scored their lone run in the seventh inning on a solo home run by Stacey Godfrey.
Lexy Determan picked up the loss on the mound and fell to 20-9 on the season. She allowed five hits, four runs and struck out six. Her counterpart, Kelly Baumert for Morningside, gave up four hits and struck out five. Michelle Van Duyn, Lizz Swanson, Rachel Harris and Godfrey all had one hit apiece.
Northwestern, ranked sixth in last week's regional rating, will have to wait until Monday morning to find out if they qualified for the Region III Tournament which will get underway on May 7 in Sioux City, Iowa.
2008 media guide
