SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Briar Cliff University softball team (7-13 GPAC, 19-22) showed no fear splitting with #9 Northwestern (17-3 GPAC, 40-5), Thursday afternoon at Bishop Mueller Field. The Chargers won 6-4 before dropping the nightcap 13-5 in six innings.
Game – 1
In the bottom of the first inning, Briar Cliff loaded the bases with one out. Sophomore Hailey Yon lifted a deep sacrifice fly to score junior Karis Gifford.
Northwestern scored three runs in the second for a 3-1 lead. In the bottom half, the Chargers had sophomore Montie Richter at second and Gifford at first.
Senior Kylee Lukes ripped a triple to clear the bases. Lukes would score on a single from sophomore Sydney Ebel to make it 4-3.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, BCU had bases loaded when junior Kylie Wilhelms lined a double down the left field line to score two runs to seal the game.
For Briar Cliff, Lukes and Wilhelms had two hits each. Sophomore Grace Batcheller (6-8) gave up four hits, four runs, walked five and struck out one in seven innings.
For Northwestern, Kamryn Etherington (16-4) gave up five hits, four runs, walked two and struck out one in two innings.
Game – 2
The Red Raiders took a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning. With Richter at third and junior Karina Cupples at first, Gifford singled up the middle.
Richter scored and Cupples moved to third. Lukes blasted the ball between the trees past the left center field fence to make it 4-2, Briar Cliff.
The Chargers scored a run in the fourth to lead 5-2. Northwestern scored 10 runs in the fifth inning to seal the game.
For Briar Cliff, Junior Georgia Krohn (9-8) gave up eight hits, nine runs with seven earned, walked four and struck out one in 4.3 innings.
For Northwestern, Etherington (17-4) gave up three hits, one run and struck out six in three innings.
Briar Cliff hits the road, Saturday, Apr. 27 against Hastings. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m.
