ALVA, OKLAHOMA - Northwestern Softball continued their three day trip in Colorado with the second straight day with a doubleheader. One day after completing a sweep the Rangers split the Wednesday doubleheader with Colorado State University-Pueblo. The Rangers used back to back two run innings to extend their lead to 5-1 winning the first game. In a pitcher's duel in game two the Rangers came up just short in a 1-0 loss.
Following the Wednesday split the Rangers are now 5-3 on the season going into their final day of the road trip.
Northwestern pitching combined today went for 13 innings only allowing two earned runs with both starters in Hannah Howell and Ireland Caro throwing complete games.
GAME ONE:
The Rangers struck first in the top of the inning after taking advantage of an error and a walk. With two runners on Hannah Howell delivered an RBI single to score Avery Clark for the early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning the Rangers worked around a double to keep the Rangers in the lead following a strikeout with the runner in scoring position.
The pitchers were locked into a pitcher's duel each keeping the game at 1-0 through the fourth inning. The Rangers had base runners in each of the 2nd,3rd and fourth inning but they were not able to plate any more runs.
Howell had two of three perfect innings in that stretched as the Rangers continued to lead 1-0 into the fifth inning
The Rangers offense struck again in the fifth inning after reaching on an error, led to a Rachel Sherwood two run home run for a 3-0 lead. The home run by Sherwood was the first on the year for the Rangers.
CSU Pueblo was able to answer back with one run in the bottom of the inning after a Huerta double to right center field led to a Falcon RBI single as the Rangers lead was 3-1.Northwestern followed one two run inning with another two run inning after a leadoff walk and a single had first and third with nobody out. Rosemary Rivera delivered an RBI single to right field to push across the fourth run of the game. This led to a Tatum Winters RBI ground out to first base which allowed Gabrielle Sanchez to score for a 5-1 lead.
Hannah Howell closed the game out with two more scoreless innings holding on to a 5-1 Ranger victory over Colorado State University- Pueblo for the third straight win.
GAME TWO:
In game two of the doubleheader the Rangers were in a pitcher's duel that Colorado State Pueblo was able to just out duel the Rangers with a 1-0 victory.
Rachel Sherwood hit a two out double in the first inning looking for an early run but the Rangers were unable to push across the run as the game remained tied. In the second inning the Rangers offense continued to put pressure on Pueblo with back to back hits from a double and single from Howell and Cameron Alexander but three straight outs kept the game tied.
Ireland Caro had retired seven straight batters before the Colorado State Pueblo offense struck for a run as a hit batter led to a RBI double to push across the game's first run.
Looking to answer back in the away half of the fifth inning Lany Anderson doubled followed by an Ashley Low single and stolen base to set up second and third. Pueblo's defense stepped up for the home team, keeping the game scoreless after a play at the plate on a ground ball followed by a fly out kept the home team's lead.
Ireland Caro threw her third perfect inning of the game, keeping it at one run for the Rangers in the seventh, looking to even the score or take the lead. In the seventh a Kaitlyn Corn single to left put the tying run on base but that was all the Rangers could come around to as the Colorado State Pueblo took game two of the afternoon with a 1-0 victory.
Northwestern will close the road trip Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader against the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs starting with first pitch at 12:00 PM before the second game at 2:00 PM.
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