Softball Opens 2023 With A Win Versus PNW, 6-2

OVERVIEW – Purdue Northwest 

SCORE: Northwood 6, Purdue Northwest 2

RECORDS: Northwood 1-0, Purdue Northwest 0-1

LOCATION: Music City Invitational - Smyrna, Tenn.

RECAP: Northwood softball began its 2023 season near Nashville Friday afternoon. The Timberwolves faced previous GLIAC foe Purdue Northwest. The Blue and White wound up beating the Pride, 6-2, to start the season, 1-0. Game two of the doubleheader versus Davenport was canceled due to inclement weather.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• PNW would score first via a throwing error and a groundout to move ahead in the bottom of the first, 0-1 PNW.
• The Pride would tack on another in the bottom of the third via two singles and a stolen base, 0-2 PNW.
• Freshman Delanie Gale came up huge for the Timberwolves in the top of the fifth. Gale cut the deficit in half as she shot a 1-2, 2-out pitch down the left field line to score Haley Frank from third, 1-2 PNW.
• The Timberwolves' momentum continued into the sixth. Madeline Skene (walk), Ashley Zeil (single to left), and Gianna Fantin (error) all reached to start of the top half of the sixth inning.
• One batter later, Jillian Krawczak hit a sac fly to center, scoring Lauren Bennett from third, 2-2.
• Frank would continue the sixth, singling to right-center, scoring Ashley Zeil, 3-2 NU.
• Brittany Steimel broke the game open during the Timberwolves' five-run sixth. She capped off the sixth with a blistering double to left center that cleared the bases, 6-2 NU.
• Hailey Leister would shut down the Pride offense, striking out 13 and allowing just two hits, as Northwood would go on to win 6-2

NORTHWOOD NOTES

• Leister set a career-high with 13 strikeouts during a game.
• Gale and Zeil picked up their first collegiate hits and RBI (Gale) during the game.

GAME ONE STATS

• Runs/Hits/Errors: Northwood 6/6/2, Purdue Northwest 2/2/1
• Runners left on base: Northwood 7, Purdue Northwest 3
• Winning Pitcher – Hailey Leister (1-0) 7.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 13 K
• Losing Pitcher – Maddison Roop (0-1) 5.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (4 ER), 7 BB, 4 K 

TOP NU PERFORMERS

• Frank: 2-2, RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
• Steimel: 1-4, 3 RBI
• Gale: 1-4, 2B, RBI
• Madison Jordan: 0-1, R, 3 BB