ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Softball team fought hard but fell 14-2 and 13-1 to Bethany Lutheran College in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference action Friday afternoon in Ashland, Wis.
 
The Vikings put up four in the first innings. Miraya McFall held them off the board in the second as Northland started to chip away at the lead. After a walk from Hailey Minnema and singles from Olivia Rowbotham and McFall the Jills had loaded the bases with no out. Karlee Lehner drove home the first NC run with a fielder's choice, followed by Daphne Gray bringing in a run to cut the lead to two.
 
Bethany Lutheran picked up the pace, scoring 10 more runs as Northland was unable to score again falling 14-2 in the first game of the doubleheader.
 
After being held to only one hit in yesterday's game the LumberJills recorded five in the loss to BLC. McFall led the team with two hits while Kennedy Gruhlke, Minnema, and Rowbotham all had one. Janna Bode and Minnema also drew a walk.
 
McFall started in the circle for NC and pitched her sixth complete game. In the five innings, she struck out three batters.
 
In game two, Bode made her second collegiate start and held the Vikings to only one run after one inning. Entering the bottom of the second Northland trailed by four. After a pair of errors by BLC Northland cut the lead to three after Lehner scored. The Vikings hung up nine in the third to pull away from Northland. McFall pitched the final innings of the game and did not allow a run.
 
Northland had two hits in game two coming from Bode and Gray with her first collegiate hit. Minnema also drew a walk in the contest.
 
Bode pitched three innings in the losing effort. McFall in her relief appearance pitched two innings and only faced six batters, striking out three of them.
 
The Jills continue in UMAC play next week when they host the University of Minnesota, Morris for a three-game series starting on Friday.
 
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.