WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Purdue Northwest swept both games of Thursday's Saint Patrick's Day doubleheader at The Spring Games with non-conference wins over Saint Michael's College (VT) and Pace University (NY).
PNW improved to 8-4 following the pair of victories and the Pride have a quick turnaround with two early games on Friday morning to close out the Florida trip.
GAME 1: PURDUE NORTHWEST 7, ST. MICHAEL'S 6
Selena Michko's (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) grand slam got things rolling in the first inning to give PNW an early 4-0 lead.
But, the Pride let SMC hang around after failing to move runners across. PNW left the bases loaded in the second and the fifth innings, and stranded a pair in the fourth.
The Purple Knights made it a one-run game in the fourth when DP Hannah Arruda homered to left field. The Pride needed three outs in the seventh to hold on for the win, but SMC strung together four consecutive singles to take its first lead of the contest.
However, the Pride wouldn't go down without a fight as Michko ignited the rally with a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh.
Amanda Noblett (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) doubled two batters later and then a throwing error allowed a run to score.
Myah Stuckey (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) delivered the game-tying run on a single through the left side. Then with one out and the bases loaded,
Allison Arnold (Tucson, Ariz./Naperville North) produced the clutch game-winning hit on a line-drive single to center.
Emma Hill (Holmes Beach, Fla./Cary-Grove (IL)) tossed six innings and struck out five with four earned runs on six hits allowed. Michko (1-0) was credited with the win after coming on in the seventh.
Arnold (3 for 5), Noblett (3 for 4), Michko (2 for 3) and Stuckey (2 for 3) combined for all 10 of PNW's hits in the first game.
The win marked the fourth one-run victory in 12 games for the Pride, and also the squad's third walk-off win this season.
GAME 2: PURDUE NORTHWEST 7, PACE 1
PNW's bats were hot under the lights as the Pride piled up a season-high 12 hits in the nightcap.
Starter
Maddison Roop (Hudson, Ill./University) also caught fire and tossed a four-hitter to lead the way in the circle. The sophomore finished with five strikeouts and sat down 19 of 21 batters to register her second win of the season.
Pace led 1-0 after three innings, until the Pride scored runs in each of the final four frames.
Kelsi Dillon (Braidwood, Ill./Reed-Custer (Georgian Court)) tied the game with an RBI double in the fourth, and Noblett put the Pride in the lead for good with an RBI single in the next at-bat.
Three more runs came across on RBI knocks from
Jocey Gault (West Lafayette, Ind./Harrison) and Michko to extend the lead to 5-1 in the fifth. Then, a run in each of the sixth and seventh innings were pushed across on Pace defensive miscues.
Michko (3 for 4) led the way with three hits while Noblett (2 for 3) and Dillon (2 for 4) also posted multi-hit efforts at the dish. Five others logged a base hit including a double from
Madison Schultz (Lafayette, Ind./Faith Christian).
UP NEXT
PNW goes up against Minot State and Southern Connecticut State on Friday morning. First pitch in the opener against the Beavers is slated for 8 a.m. CDT in Winter Haven.
FOLLOW THE PRIDE
For all the latest information on Purdue Northwest Softball, please visit PNWathletics.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Pride (@pnwathletics / @PNWSoftball) on Twitter. You can also find the Pride on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
