WEST ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Morris (6-10, 4-1 UMAC) went 2-0 on Friday, winning 20-14 in eight innings over North Central and holding on for a 4-3 win over Northwestern.
Molly Olson went 6-7 on the day with six RBI and four runs scored. She had the game winning homer in the top of the seventh against Northwestern.
Vs North Central
It was a high scoring and extra inning affair on Friday morning but the Cougars came from behind for a 20-14 win in eight innings. Morris received some help as North Central committed nine errors in the game resulting in eight unearned runs.
Morris scored in the top of the first inning as the first four runners of the game reached base. The lone RBI in the inning came on a sac fly by
Meghan Pomeroy. Two of the three runs in the inning were unearned. The Cougars lead did not last long as the Rams countered for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning. All but one run was charged to Morris starter
Erin Kvam.
Minnesota Morris got a run back in the second inning when Olson drove in
Gina Downie. The Rams would score three more runs in the third inning, chasing Kvam from the game. With NCU leading 12-3 Morris started a comeback.
Olson started the retaliation with a sac fly to center scoring Downie. Pomeroy had a RBI double to left scoring
Autumn Mahoney.
Clare Hamer was next, driving in Pomeroy with a double to center. The Rams would score twice in the bottom of the inning but Morris made a pitching change in the bottom fifth and NCU never scored again.
Trailing 14-7 as the fifth inning started, Morris used a big inning to get them back in the game. Four errors would aid in the Cougars six run fifth inning. Olson had the big hit in the inning, delivering a two run double to left field. Mahoney and
Cassie Sowada each had a RBI in the inning as well. The Cougars still trailed by one heading into the sixth but with the bases loaded, thanks to three straight walks, Pomeroy drove in Mahoney with a sac fly to left.
The game stayed tied at 14 until the eighth inning. Minnesota Morris would score six times in the extra frame to go up 20-14. Hamer drove in the winning run with a one out single to center. Marissa Kroells and
Paige Larson each had two run hits in the inning giving Morris their six run lead. That lead would hold as
Mackenzie Weatherly put NCU down in order in the bottom of the eighth.
Vs Northwestern
The Eagles took a two run lead in the bottom of the second inning scoring on a one out double and a one out groundout. Morris would get a run back in the top of the third with a bases loaded ground out off the bat of Olson.
Northwestern got that run back in the bottom of the third with a one out single through the left side. Larson brought UMM back within one in the next inning delivering a single to center to plate Pomeroy. The Cougars tied the game in the top of the sixth after Hamer drove in Pomeroy with a single through the left side.
Weatherly relieved starter
Mariah Essig after the third inning and did a great job shutting the Eagles down. She allowed just four base runners in the final four innings and kept the game tied at three heading to the final inning of play. With one out in the top of the seventh Olson connected on pitch, sending it over the fence in left for a solo homer. Weatherly would give up a one out single and walk in the bottom of the seventh but got out of the jam by inducing a fly out to center and striking out the final batter.
Morris is back in action on Tuesday at Martin Luther for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.
