ROSEMOUNT, Minn.-- Winter weather kept North Central University softball off the field virtually all of the last month. With weather related cancellations stacking up, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference and its member schools worked together to rent several metro area domed fields. That gave every one of the eight members a chance to play at least one double-header this weekend.

The Rams (4-9, 2-5) were able to play three double-headers with one coming on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After being swept on Friday and Saturday, NCU was able to turn the tables and sweep Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) on Sunday to break a seven game losing streak and get their first UMAC wins of the year.

Friday night the Rams dropped a pair of games to The University of Minnesota-Morris (Morris, Minn.) by 11-2 and 7-6 scores. Game one was a run rule loss to the Cougars but game two saw NCU leading going into the bottom of the seventh before Morris was able to get the winning run across to take the series.

Saturday the Rams took on The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) and found out exactly why the Saints have ruled the UMAC for several years. Scholastica earned 13-2 and 12-3 victories over the Rams. Game one was 7-2 going into the seventh before the Saints posted a five spot to pull away. Game two saw NCU commit four errors that led to six uneared runs in a five inning loss.

After a long weekend that saw Friday's games start at 7am and Saturday's double header start at 11pm and run until after 3am at the Vadnais Sports Dome (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) it would have been easy for the Rams to checkout in their third game in 72 hours. Instead the Rams responded to earn a much needed double-headed sweep over Crown College.

Game one saw senior Bethany Bostron (Spicer, Minn./Bostron Academy) allow toss a one-hit shutout that included four strikeouts. NCU took the game 8-0 in five innings pounding out three doubles and chasing the Crown starter after four innings. 

Senior Hannah Gordon (Boise, Idaho/Centennial) blasted a pair of doubles, one in the first to give NCU a 1-0 lead. In the second inning she pounded another two-bagger that drove in three more Rams runs to give NCU a 4-0 lead. Gordon was 2-3 with 4 RBI and a run scored.

Bethany Bostron also recorded a double in the fourth that drove in run that began a four run inning for NCU that sealed the five inning run rule victory. Bostron was 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Senior Elisabeth Trickey (Waseca, Minn./Waseca) was 1-2 with a pair of walks. 

Game two saw the Rams jump out to a 4-0 lead after two innings before Crown rallied with three in the bottom of the third to make it 4-3. NCU added two in the top of the fourth and the teams were both scoreless in the fifth. After NCU added three in the top of the sixth it looked like the Rams were in control of a 9-3 game. 

Crown added another run in the bottom of the sixth to get within 9-4. The Rams were scoreless in the top of the seventh and had to hold off the Storm in their final at bat after they added three runs bottom of the inning. Bostron got a game clinching fly ball to center field to earn her second win of the night.

Eight of nine Rams batters hit safely in the game including Hannah Gordon who was 3-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases. Freshman Rachel Thearin (Hayward, Wis./Hayward) was 2-4 with a double and two RBI.

Sophomore Keshia Carpentier (Coon Rapids, Minn./Anoka-Ramsey CC) was 2-4 with an RBI. Elisabeth Trickey was 2-3 with two walks, and four stolen bases.

North Central is scheduled to play at Northwestern College (St. Paul, Minn.) on Wednesday at 3 p.m.