UND softball squared off against Minnesota-Crookston Wednesday, October 2 in a game where pitching stole the show as both teams’ pitchers and defense dominated the day.
Both teams’ starting pitchers were dueling for the first couple of innings, as senior Katelyn Strauss mowed through the Crookston lineup throwing for 2 ⅔ innings, striking out four, walking one, and only allowing two hits.
Crookston’s starting pitcher, freshman Riley Blake, also showed out, shutting down UND. Blake allowed only one hit in three innings pitched with three strikeouts and four walks.
In the top of the 7th inning, a play left everyone at Albrecht Field feeling lost. UND’s right fielder fumbled a pop fly, but the umpire ruled that she had maintained control long enough. As a result, the runner who had scored was called out at first, turning it into an unusual and game-changing double play.
When pitching changes were made, neither bullpen lost a stride, as senior Jackie Albrecht kept Strauss’s momentum going, mowing down the Golden Eagles in the middle innings. She threw for 1 ⅓ innings, striking out three while only allowing one hit.
Crookston’s bullpen responded, as junior Alexa Guilford silenced UND in the middle innings, throwing for two innings. Guilford struck out two and allowed only one hit.
The Golden Eagles cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the 5th inning after a sloppy inning in the field by UND to go up 1-0.
Sophomore pitcher Emily Marr entered the game in the 5th, getting UND out of a jam and shutting the Golden Eagles down for two innings. She had two strikeouts and allowed two hits.
The Fighting Hawks could not crack the Crookston pitching regime, as UND did not score until the bottom of the 7th inning.
After Crookston’s third pitching change of the day, the Fighting Hawks finally got the bats going as junior Camryn Lasota singled to right. Lasota stole second and advanced to third on an error. The junior finally scored on a fielder’s choice, tying the game up at one apiece.
With a runner on second and two outs, sophomore catcher Olivia Dick hammered a line-drive double down the 3rd baseline, which would have walked the game off 2-1.
Instead, the game went 10 innings, as fall league games are a time for teams to experiment and get as many players as possible on the field to prepare for the spring season.
At the end of the official game, UND won 2-1. The Golden Eagles outhit the Fighting Hawks 5-4. Neither teams could get the bats going due to stellar pitching and solid play on the field by both sides.
The energy was high throughout the game as both sides chanted from the bench and danced between innings on the field. It was a beautiful night for softball with a sunset and some Wednesday night lights.
The Fighting Hawks fall season ends October 16 against Mayville State at Albrecht Field.
Elijah Andrews is the Dakota Student Sports Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected].