SOFTBALL

FORT PIERCE, Fla. - The Norwich University softball team split a doubleheader with Northwestern College on Tuesday evening, defeating the Eagles, 9-5, in the opener before dropping a 9-5 decision in the nightcap.

The Cadets move to 2-2 on the season with the split.

Freshman Mackenzie Pratt went all seven innings in the circle for NU to earn the victory in the first game. The first-year pitcher allowed just two earned runs on eight hits. She also struck out two batters and walked four.

Norwich jumped on top with three runs in the first inning. Jazmin Stevens and Codi Collins began the rally as each player reached on errors. Then, after a walk was issued to Marley Balasco to load the bases, Whitney Grennon was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Lindsey Fickett and Lindsay Carey each followed with run-scoring singles to push across two more runs.

Northwestern College battled back with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to trim Norwich's lead to 3-2.

The Cadets reestablished their three-run lead with two runs of their own in the bottom half of that frame. Balasco started the uprising with a walk and Grennon followed with a bunt single. Both runners moved up a base following a passed ball, and the both came home to score following Fickett's two-run single.

Northwestern College scored another run in the third to pull to within 5-3, but a four-run fourth inning gave the Cadets a commanding 9-3 lead and they never looked back.

Collins started the fourth with a single, and she reached second base following a throwing error by the center fielder. Balasco moved Collins over to third with a sacrifice, and then Grennon smacked her first homerun of the year over the fence in center field to make it 7-3. Carey and Gariboldi each knocked in runs later in the inning to push the Cadets' lead up to 9-3.

The Northwestern College bats were quieted the rest of the way as Norwich held on for the 9-5 victory.

In the nightcap, Northwestern College jumped out to an early lead by scoring twice in the first inning. Norwich got one run back in the second when Christine Carroll produced an RBI single.

Northwestern College once in the third inning and twice in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Norwich refused to go down without a fight, however, scoring four runs in the fifth inning to tie the score at 5-5. Kerri Ingraham walked to start the rally, and then Stevens singled. Balasco came up next and cracked a double to score both Ingraham and Stevens. Balasco made it to third following a throwing error, and Grennon walked to put runners on the corners. Both players came in to score courtesy a pair of passed balls. Three straight walks loaded the bases, but the Cadets were unable to push anything else across and they left them loaded.  

Northwestern College regained control of the game with three unearned runs in the sixth inning and it held on for the win.

Norwich returns to action on Thursday, March 13, when the Cadets play a doubleheader versus Penn State-Beavers. First pitch of game one is set for 10 a.m.