Northwestern, St. Scholastica survive to advance to UMAC softball championship Saturday
DULUTH, Minn.---After an exciting day one of the 2017 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) softball tournament, Friday's action was a suitable follow-up with two close shutout games and a one-run decision in the final game of the day. No. 3 University of Northwestern earned two wins – including a come-from-behind victory over No. 2 Crown College – to survive and will face No. 1 College of St. Scholastica on Championship Saturday.
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Tournament Site |
Game Five |
Game Six |
Game Seven |
Game 5 - No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 2 Crown, 3-0 |
Box Score |
The opening game of the day saw the top seeds meet after playing each other just a week ago in a regular-season series split. This time, the No. 1 Saints managed to hold a hot No. 2 Crown squad scoreless to secure a spot in the championship game Saturday.
Friday's opener began with a scoreless first inning, but that all changed when Marjaana Dailey cranked a solo home run over the left center fence in the bottom of the second to give the Saints an early 1-0 lead. Then, on her very next at bat, Dailey hit a nearly identical bomb for her second home run of the game pushing the Saints' lead to two.
Crown picked up a hit in the top of the sixth, but couldn't manage to bring in a runner. In the bottom of the inning, Maggie Schley and Toni Bishop hit back-to-back doubles to plate the Saints' third run of the game. Chrisi Mizera continued her stellar pitching in the top of the seventh to put her team in the title game Saturday.
Dailey led the Saints at the plate going 3-of-3 thanks to her two home runs, while Alexa Bremer was 2-of-3 with a walk. Mizera gave up just three hits in her shutout performance and her 12th win of the year. For the Storm, Janelle Williams went 2-for-3 from the lead-off position while Lis King matched Mizera on the mound with each picking up five strikeouts.
Game 6 - No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 5 Bethany Lutheran, 4-0 |
Box Score |
Friday, No. 3 Northwestern and No. 5 Bethany Lutheran each picked up one-run wins over No. 4 University of Wisconsin-Superior to advance to the second day of the UMAC tournament with each looking for a shot at Saturday. Northwestern used a two-run fifth inning to put a comeback out of reach for the Vikings and there eliminating them from the tournament.
The Eagles got to work early tallying their first run of the game in the bottom of the second when Colleen Feldheim doubled to left center sending Jennifer Ankrom home after a double got her on base. The Eagles carried that 1-0 lead through the next two innings and couldn't manage to break the Vikings again.
Then, in the fifth, Ann Lokke started off with a double down the left field line and eventually found her way home on a RBI double from Kaylee Forcier. A throwing error on a Mindy Forcier at bat saw Kaylee Forcier make it home giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead. A wild pitch in the sixth brought in the fourth and final run for the Eagles.
Feldheim led the Eagles with two hits and a RBI, while Lauren Silbernick earned the shutout on the mound. The senior hurler surrendered just three hits in the complete-game victory. Anna Pipenhagen struck out three batters and allowed just six hits to lead the Vikings' effort.
Game 7 - No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 2 Crown, 2-1 |
Box Score |
With a trip to the final day of the tournament on the line, it is no surprise that the third game of the day was the closest game of the tournament thus far with both pitchers putting on a show for UMAC fans. A late-game surge from the Eagles in the top of the seventh helped eliminate Crown and earned the Eagles a chance at the tourney crown Saturday.
After a solid outing for the Eagles in the previous game, Silbernick gave up just one hit to Crown through four innings before the Storm found a way to break her in the bottom of the fifth. Kaitlin Ruiter hit a triple on two outs to give the Storm a base runner. Then, on the next at bat, Cortney Gunderson hit a single to bring Ruiter across home plate for the first run of the game.
King was outstanding through six innings for the Storm giving up just two hits and keeping the Eagles at bay. That all changed in the seventh, though. After a walk and sacrifice bunt, Ellen Larkin sent Kellie Pederson home to even the game at one a piece. Two batters later, Moriah Manau picked up her first hit of the tournament at the most crucial time to bring Faith Forcier in to lift the Eagles to a 2-1 win.
Silbernick picked up her 10th win of the season holding the Storm to just four hits, while King also allowed just four hits and one earned run. The sophomore Storm star also struck out three batters in the losing effort for Crown.
With two wins Friday, No. 2 Northwestern will face regular-season champion No. 1 St. Scholastica at 12 p.m. Saturday. Should the Eagles take the first game, the two teams will meet again at 2 p.m. in a winner-take-all title game.
All tournament information including scores, recaps, team information and more can be found on the
UMAC Softball Playoffs page. Keep up with all of the tournament action on
Twitter and
Instagram using
#UMACchamp.
Playoff Schedule
Thursday, May 4 (Day One)
Game 1 – 10 a.m. No. 5 Bethany Lutheran def. No. 4 Wisconsin-Superior, 5-4 |
Box Score |
UWS Recap |
BLC Recap |
Game 2 – 12 p.m. No. 2 Crown def. No. 3 Northwestern, 7-0 |
Box Score |
CC Recap |
UNW Recap |
Game 3 – 2 p.m. No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 5 Bethany Lutheran, 21-0 |
Box Score |
CSS Recap |
BLC Recap |
Game 4 – 4 p.m. No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 4 Wisconsin-Superior, 5-4 |
Box Score |
UNW Recap |
UWS Recap |
Friday, May 5 (Day Two)
Game 5 – 12 p.m. No. 1 St. Scholastica def. No. 2 Crown, 3-0 |
Box Score |
CSS Recap |
CC Recap |
Game 6 – 2 p.m. No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 5 Bethany Lutheran, 4-0 |
Box Score |
UNW Recap |
BLC Recap |
Game 7 – 4 p.m. No. 3 Northwestern def. No. 2 Crown, 2-1 |
Box Score |
UNW Recap |
CC Recap |
Saturday, May 6 (Day Three)
Game 8 – 12 p.m. Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 7 |
Live Broadcast |
Game 9 – 2 p.m. If necessary – same teams as Game 8 |
Live Broadcast |
Event Information
The UMAC five-team tournament has the following set admissions prices: Single Day Adult Ticket, $10; Single Day Student/Senior Ticket - $5; Adult Tournament Pass, $15; Student/Senior Tournament Pass, $7. All UMAC students, staff and faculty are FREE with valid institution ID to all games. No other passes will be accepted.
All tournament information including scores, recaps, team information and more can be found on the
UMAC Softball Playoffs page. Keep up with all of the tournament action on
Twitter and
Instagram using
#UMACchamp.
2017 Tournament Page