A 4-0 Weekend For Northern Softball

Posted on February 12, 2023 by - Sports

Aberdeen, SD (NSUWolves.com) [FRIDAY] – The Northern State University softball team kicked off their 2023 campaign with a pair of wins on opening day over GPAC opponents. The Wolves defeated Doane University in extra innings and came from behind in their win over the University of Jamestown.

THE QUICK DETAILS

Final Score Game 1: NSU 6, DU 3 (8 inn)

Final Score Game 1: NSU 8, UJ 5

Records: NSU 2-0

 

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. DOANE

  • The Tigers struck first in the top of the third, notching one run on a pair of singles
  • Northern State grabbed the lead in the fourth with two runs of a solo homerun by freshman Kyra Knudtson and single to left by Ashley Fauske (scoring Alexandria Arndt)
  • Doane tied the game in the sixth and Northern to put a run across in regulation, leading two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh
  • Due to tournament formatting, the eighth started via the international tie breaker rule with a runner placed on second base
  • DU scored one in the frame and left the Wolves in a do-or-die situation
  • Liv Richardson led off the eighth with a bunt single, that scored Kamdyn Barrientos and tied the game on an errant throw by the third basemen
  • Knudtson walked and the inning sat with two runners on and two outs for freshman Tevan Bryant
  • Bryant connected and belted her first career homerun and walk-off, a long ball to left center field
  • In total, Northern tallied six runs on six hits, without giving up an error defensively
  • Meghan Anderson earned her first win of the season, tossing eight complete innings with 11 strikeouts

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Tevan Bryant: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, 1 run, homerun
  • Kyra Knudtson: 1-for-3, 2 runs, 1 RBI, homerun
  • Liv Richardson: 1-for-3, 1 run, stolen base
  • Meghan Anderson: 8.0 innings pitched, 7 hits, 2 earned runs, 11 strikeouts

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. JAMESTOWN

  • The Wolves and Jimmies battled throughout the contest, trading leads with runs scored in five of the seven innings
  • Northern tallied their eight runs on 15 hits, scoring two runs in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth, and one in the seventh
  • Bryant continued her solid day at the plate, tying the game in the top of the second on a 2-run double to left center (scoring Elly Smith and Avarie Eagle)
  • Jamestown quickly responded in the bottom of the frame, regaining the lead with three runs
  • NSU tied the contest in the third on a double to right center by Knudtson (scoring Barrientos), double to right center by Eagle (scoring Knudtson), and single to right center by Smith (scoring Eagle)
  • The Wolves held the Jimmies scoreless in the bottom of the third and tallied their final lead of the contest in the top of the fourth
  • Northern added two runs, led off by Barrientos with a single, plating Ashley Fauske
  • Claire Zyblut scored the following at-bat on a ground out to the right side by Richardson, and Northern State led 7-5
  • The two teams played a scoreless fifth and sixth before Northern tacked on one run in the seventh on a double by Barrientos (scoring Chase)
  • NSU gave up two early errors on defense, but settled in as the game went on
  • Chase earned her first Northern State win in the circle, throwing five innings without giving up an earned run

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Kyra Knudtson: 3-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, double
  • Ashley Fauske: 2-for-3, 2 runs
  • Avarie Eagle: 2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI, double
  • Elly Smith: 2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI, double
  • Lexi Chase: 5.0 innings pitched, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1-for-4

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Aberdeen, SD (NSUWolves.com) [SATURDAY] – The Northern State University softball team put up 20 runs in their two Saturday victories from the Presentation College Dome, defeating Morningside and Valley City State. With the wins, Northern closes out the weekend 4-0 to kick off 2023.

THE QUICK DETAILS

Final Score Game 1: NSU 8, MU 7

Final Score Game 1: NSU 12, VCSU 11 (9 inn)

Records: NSU 4-0

 

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. MORNINGSIDE

  • Northern came out on top in their highest scoring game of the season thus far to open the day
  • The Wolves tallied eight runs on eight hits and suffered two errors defensively
  • NSU tallied two runs in the first, three in the second, and one each in the third, fourth, and fifth
  • Ashley Fauske and Kamdyn Barrientos scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first after reaching base on a double to left and fielder’s choice
  • The Mustangs tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a 2-run long ball, and the Wolves were not to be out-done; notching a 3-run homerun by Claire Zbylut in the top of the second (scoring Hannah Smith and Avarie Eagle)
  • Kyra Knudtson tacked on a run in the third scoring on Eagle’s ground out to short and Zbylut added a run in the fourth on a first and third situation play
  • Zbylut scored the decisive run of the game in the top of the sixth, sitting in her second first and third situation of the contest; a poor execution by the Morningside defense and throwing mishap by the third basemen plated the Northern State infielder
  • The Mustangs came knocking in the sixth, notching five runs on four hits, including a grandslam
  • Northern fended off another Mustang attack in the seventh, leaving two on and sealing the win
  • Lexi Chase started for the Wolves and battled through her second win of the season, throwing all seven innings of work

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Claire Zbylut: 2-for-2, 3 runs, 3 RBI, homerun
  • Kyra Knudtson: 2-for-4, 1 run
  • Lexi Chase: 7.0 innings pitched, 7 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 strikeout, win

HOW IT HAPPENED vs. VALLEY CITY STATE

  • The Vikings notched one run in the top of the first and took an early lead on the Wolves
  • Northern answered back in the bottom of the second with three runs on four hits
  • Avarie Eagle and Tevan Bryant hit back-to-back doubles to right, scoring one, and Alexandria Arndt tallied her first moonshot of the season, a 2-run homer to left
  • Valley City responded scoring two three runs in the third to take the lead
  • Liv Richardson got things rolling for Northern in the third with a 1-out single up the middle; she came around to score along with Knudtson on a double by Eagle which tied the game
  • The Vikings added two more runs in the fifth, taking a 7-5 lead over the Wolves
  • The runs kept coming for the Wolves in the fifth off the bat of Eagle with a double (scoring Knudtson and Richardson), Arndt (scoring Eagle), Zbylut with a single (scoring Arndt), and Barrientos with a single up the middle (scoring Zbylut and Smith)
  • NSU led 11-7 heading into the final two innings of regulation
  • VCSU stormed back with four runs in the final two innings and sent the game to extras tied at 11-all
  • Neither team could plate a run in the eighth and the Wolves sealed the win in the ninth on a double to left center by Arndt (scoring Eagle)
  • In total Northern tallied 12 runs on 14 hits and gave up four defensive errors
  • Meghan Anderson earned her second win of the season, throwing the final three innings with two hits, one earned run, and four strikeouts

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

  • Avarie Eagle: 3-for-5, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 3 doubles
  • Alexandria Arndt: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI, double, homerun
  • Tevan Bryant: 2-for-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, double
  • Meghan Anderson: 3.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 4 strikeouts

UP NEXT

The Wolves return to the diamond February 24-26 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia. Northern State will face Carson-Newman, Georgian Court, Alabama Huntsville, West Chester, California PA, and Missouri Western State.

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