ROSEMOUNT, MN – The Norse Softball Team (5-15) picked up a pair of wins on Saturday. In the first game Bay compiled 18 hits and 20 runs to beat Northland Community and Technical College by a final score of 20-5. In the second game the Norse were leading 3-1 in the second inning when Rainy River was forced to forfeit due to an injury putting them below the required nine players needed to play.
The Norse scored a pair of runs in the first and followed with two more in the second before breaking the game open in the third. A pair of Northland errors got things going, and with one out Bay rattled off five consecutive hits. Riley Arndt (FR, Bark River, MI), Kaitlyn Hardwick (SO, Gladstone, MI), and Sarah Wynn (FR, Pitt Meadows, BC) each had RBI doubles in that string. With two outs in the inning Korey Kaukola capped off the inning with another RBI double. By the time Northland was able to get out of the inning the Norse had taken a 10-0 lead.
Northland responded with five consecutive hits in the bottom half of the inning, plating three runs and cutting into the Bay lead.
Bay put the game away in the fourth, erupting for another six runs. Wynn, Lexi Challier (SO, Escanaba, MI), Kaukola, and Kristin Goodacre (FR, Rapid River, MI) each had RBI hits in the frame.
Challier capped off the scoring in the fifth, hitting a grand slam to left field, her seventh homerun of the season.
Karlie Patron (FR, Ishpeming, MI) got the win for the Norse, pitching all five innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs, and one walk while striking out six.
Wynn led the offense with four hits in five at bats, two of them being doubles, and driving in five runs. Kaukola finished three for four with two RBI, two doubles, and a walk. Hardwick had three hits and drove in two, scored three times, and hit two doubles. Challier collected two hits and had six RBI. Patron and Arndt each had two hits apiece.
In game two the Norse struck in the first inning. With one out and the bases loaded Kristin Goodacre drove in three with a double.
An injury in the second inning forced Rainy River to forfeit as they were left with just eight eligible players.
"The grit this team has shown over this season so far really started paying dividends this weekend," said Head Coach Heidi Charon. "We saw improvements in both defense and offense. The girls played with confidence and focus. It was great to start seeing those pieces fall in place. Karlie [Patron] pitched exceptionally well, particularly in our first game. I've also really enjoyed seeing Kristin Goodacre's growth behind the plate. Teams aren't even trying to run on her, which I contribute to how much work she's put in on throw downs and how much more confidence she is playing with. More than anything else, it was great to see our hitting become more consistent throughout the lineup. We got hits with runners on and didn't leave as many stranded, which we've been struggling with until now. There is a million little things that go into winning against tough teams, and it's exciting to see the girls improve in so many areas."
The Norse are off next weekend and return to action on April 9. They will face off with Milwaukee Area Technical College in a four game series on Friday and Saturday that weekend and finish off with a doubleheader against Bryant & Stratton (WI) on Sunday.