PEORIA, Ill. – The Northland College Softball team in its opening games of the season fell 8-0 to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville then narrowly dropped the contest to Knox College 3-2 Thursday night in Peoria, Ill.
 
In the opening game, the bats were quiet for the LumberJills. Hailey Minnema broke up the perfect game for UW-Platteville with a single to center field. Two batters later Northland was in scoring position after Alison Murphy drew a walk. The Jills could not send the runner home and ended the game falling in five innings 8-0.
 
Ariana Wilson pitched the game for NC. After giving up a lead-off single Wilson stranded the runner and picked up her first strike out of the season. In the five innings, she recorded two strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Taylor Rougher from UWP earned the win with five scoreless innings and seven strikeouts.
 
In game two, the Prairie Fire jumped out to an early two-run lead off of four hits in the first inning. The Jills were threatening in the first with a walk from Janna Bode, followed by a single from Lenisa Tomasini., but the offense stopped there. Knox scored another in the third to go up 3-0. Northland scored its first run of the season with Minnema scoring from an error. In the bottom of the fifth Bode reached first with a single then Tomasini reached on an error. Minnema cut the lead to one after sending Bode home on a single. The Jills stranded a runner in the sixth and seventh falling 3-2.
 
The LumberJills recorded nine hits in the loss to the Prairie Fire. Three student-athletes totaled two knocks: Tomasini, Minnema, and Wilson.
 
Miraya McFall made her pitching collegiate debut. In her seven innings, McFall recorded five strikeouts, one walk, and had three earned runs. Claire Davison of KC  pitched seven innings with six strikeouts and no earned runs for the win.
 
Northland ends its trip in Peoria, Ill., tomorrow (Friday) with an 8 a.m., game against Augustana College.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.