NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC – The Norse Softball Team (3-9) picked up a pair of wins in the second half of their spring trip that ended on Thursday afternoon.

On Tuesday they faced off with Penn State Altoona in a back-and-forth affair.  Altoona took the lead with two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of a Bay error.  The Norse answered back in the bottom of the first.  Sierra Jones (FR, Calgary, AB) picked up the first RBI of the day with a double to left.  Natalie Belanger (SO, Bark River, MI) helped the Norse take the lead with a double that drove in two and scored on a Zoe Rumble (FR, Blenheim, ON) single, giving the Norse a 4-2 lead.

Karli Strom (FR, Chest Springs, PA) helped Altoona cut the lead with an RBI double in the second and Gianna Hoppel (SO, Lewiston, PA) homered to lead off the third, tying the game at four.

Bay grabbed the lead back in the third with an RBI single by Lexi Kacalo (SO, Menominee, MI).  After Altoona grabbed a run in the top of the fourth, Bay answered back in the bottom.  Lizzy Sliva (FR, Escanaba, MI) drove in a run and Belanger lifted a sacrifice fly, giving Bay a two-run lead.

Altoona rallied for three in the fifth however.  A squeeze bunt would tie the game and Strom doubled to right to take the lead.  Altoona extended their lead in the sixth when Cameryn Feathers (JR, Martinsburg, PA) doubled to center to drive in a run.

Bay wasted little time rallying.  After Jones led off the inning by being hit by a pitch, and Ellie Miller (SO, Ishpeming, MI) doubled, Sliva punched a single into right to plate Jones.  Belanger followed that with a double that sent two to the plate, giving Bay the lead.  Bay continued the rally with one out.  Rachael Winkel (SO, Silvis, IL), Desiree Bender (FR, Sandusky, MI), Kacalo, Avery Sorochan (SO, Two Hills, AB), Jones, and Miller singled in consecutive at bats.  When the dust had settled, the Norse held a 14-9 lead going into the last inning. 

Bay avoided trouble in the top of the seventh after Altoona got a two out walk and a single to hold on for the win. 

Jones, Sliva, Belanger, and Kacalo each had three hits apiece.  Belanger had five RBI. 

Winkel picked up the win in relief.  She pitched five innings and struck out five.

In the second game of the day Bay faced Gaston College.  The Rhinos' Tessa Hunt (FR, Lincolnton, NC) dealt the Norse a six-hit, complete game shutout.  She walked no one and struck out three.

Meanwhile Winkel took the loss for Bay in a complete game effort.  She gave up seven hits, six runs, three earned, three walks, and struck out five. 

Sliva and Winkel picked up a pair of hits apiece.

Bay's offense continued to struggle on Wednesday.  Against Madonna JV they were only able to muster three hits, two of the off the bat of Sliva.  At the same time Winkel would get beat to the tune of 15 hits, nine runs, seven earned, while striking out three. The Norse dropped the game by a score of 9-0.

Hartford Community College helped contribute to Bay's frustrations in the nightcap.  In this matchup Bay would only collect four hits.  Belanger picked up a loss, giving up eight runs in two innings while walking four and giving up four hits.  Hartford would go on to win by a final of 8-0 in five innings.

On their final day the Norse looked to change their fortunes in a matchup against Iowa Wesleyan's JV.  Bay finally snapped a 21-inning scoreless streak in the top of the third.  In a scoreless game and the bases loaded, Jones would get hit by a pitch to force in a run.  Sliva picked up an RBI on a ground ball, and the Norse had a 2-0 lead.

Iowa Wesleyan answered with one run in the bottom half.  The score would remain 2-1 until the fifth.  With one out Miller laid down a squeeze bunt to add a run.  That would trigger a two-out rally for the Norse.  Sliva, Diane Salinas (FR, Rancho Cordova, CA), Winkel, singled, Belanger doubled, Madyson Rothe (SO, Green Bay, WI) reached on an error, and Kacalo and Sorochan singled, making the score 10-1 in favor of the Norse.

Bay stranded one in the bottom of the inning and took the victory in five innings.

Sorochan ended with three hits and two RBI.  Kacalo was two for two and scored three runs.

Winkel was good for the win, giving up five hits, one walk, and one earned run, all well striking out five batters in five innings of work.

Bay finished the trip against the Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute.  After Bay used a pair of errors to score in the first, they got an RBI single from Sorochan in the second.

Things took a turn in the bottom of the second.  With two outs and the bases loaded an error allowed the Cobras to tie the game.  Kylee Reid then took advantage of the extended inning and ended up with an inside-the-park home run to right field, plating three and giving Caldwell a 5-2 lead.  The Cobras were not done yet.  A walk, three singles, and a triple ended up giving them a nine-run inning and putting them in control of the game. 

Bay was never able to get back into it and dropped the decision by a 13-4 final.

The Norse had just five hits in the game.

Winkel took the loss as she surrendered 11 hits and 11 runs in two and two-thirds.

Bay will continue the season on March 19 as they play at Rochester Community and Technical College.  That doubleheader starts at 10 am.  The Norse will then pick up games on March 20 against Anoka-Ramsey at 8:30 am and Minnesota North -Vermilion at 10:15 am.