RHINELANDER, WI – The Bay College Norse Softball Team (2-0) kicked off their season with a pair of wins in the Hodag Dome in Rhinelander, WI.  They shut out the Milwaukee Area Tech Stormers (0-1) by a final score of 9-0 and used a big fifth inning to roll past the Gogebic Community College Samsons (0-1) by a final score of 17-8.

In the first game of the season two Bay pitchers would combine for a two-hit shutout.  Rachael Winkel started and went four innings, allowing two hits and three hits while striking out eight.  Karlie Patron finished it off, walking one and striking out one in the final two innings.

The Norse put up runs early as Winkle drove in two with a single in the first.  They added to it in the second, as Sarah Wynn doubled in two more runs and scored on Patron's single to left.

The Norse added a pair of runs in the fourth and the sixth to bring the game to an end after six.

The top four hitters in the lineup each collected three hits in four at bats for Bay.  Jenna Tardiff scored three times and stole a base, Wynn doubled twice, scored three times and had two RBI, Winkel had four RBI with her double and two runs scored, and Patron drove in three runs as well. 

The second game ended with a misleading score as the early going featured some back-and-forth.  The Norse grabbed a lead in the top of the first when Patron sent a two-out double to left driving in Winkel.

The Samsons wasted no time answering back however, as back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom half tied the game up.  They took the lead with two outs scoring on a wild pitch.

The Samsons handed the Norse the lead in the second as a fly ball to center was dropped, tying the game at two.  The Norse loaded the bases loaded and would score two on a passed ball, grabbing the lead for good.

Bay added to their lead the following inning.  Avery Sorochan lined a triple into right to bring in two runs, and she would steal home two batters later.

After the Norse gave up an unearned run in the fourth, they would bust the game open in the fifth.  The first five Norse hitters reached base safely, and Bay amassed eight hits in the inning. 

Although Gogebic scored three in the fifth, the Norse still led 15-8 and added a pair in the sixth to seal the 17-8 victory.

Sorochan finished the game three for three with a double, triple, three stolen bases, and two RBI.  Six Norse hitters collected two hits, including Wynn, Winkel, Patron, Natalie Belanger, Allison Podhaniuk, and CC Pilon.  Wynn drove in three runs, while Podhaniuk was responsible for knocking in two.

Jamison Ness picked up the win in relief for Bay.  She went four innings and gave up three runs, two earned, four hits, three walks, all while striking out eight hitters.

The Norse will hit the field next with a trip to River Grove, IL to take on Triton College on February 25 and 26.