KISSIMMEE, Fla. – In their first two games at the Spring Games, the Northland College Softball team was defeated 10-0 by Buena Vista University and 9-1 by Nebraska Wesleyan on Monday in Kissimmee, Fla.
 
To start the game against the Beavers, Janna Bode reached base with a single but was left stranded. Miraya McFall started the game in the pitching circle for the LumberJills. After walking the first two batters McFall struck out the next three to get out of the inning scoreless. BVU had a big second inning with eight runs. The lead was too much for NC to overcome and fell 10-0.
 
Northland had five hits in the game, all singles. Bode reached base twice with Mackenzie Backman, Elizabeth Peters, and Ariana Wilson all having a base hit.
 
In her four innings pitched, McFall struck out five batters, walked three, and gave up seven earned runs. Rebecka Finlayson came away with the win pitching four scoreless innings and striking out three batters.
 
The Prairie Wolves started hot scoring four in the first inning then added a fifth in the second inning. The LumberJills got on the board in the bottom of the second when Miraya McFall laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Hailey Minnema. The Jills offense would stop there as NWU scored four more runs to win 9-1.
 
Northland recorded two hits in the contests and drew two walks. Backman and Wilson reached base on a single and Karlee Lehner and Olivia Rowbotham walked.
 
Wilson was the starting pitcher for game two and pitched three innings. In those innings, she did not walk a batter and gave up four earned runs. McFall entered the game to pitch the final two innings. She struck out one batter, walked one, and gave up no earned runs. The winning pitcher was Eva Fahrnbruch who pitched five innings with two strikeouts and did not give up an earned run.
 
Northland continues in the Spring Games tomorrow (Tuesday) as they play Carthage College at 3 p.m., and Penn State Brandywine at 5:15 p.m.
 
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.