PLYMOUTH, Minn.-- Softball got their season started on Thursday by hosting a pair of teams at the Plymouth Creek Dome. The Rams hosted Maranatha Baptist University and Martin Luther College at the indoor facilities in Plymouth that allowed all three teams to get a pair of games in that represented the season opener for each institution. North Central split their set of games and showed great reason to believe they could grab a few more wins when the teams take the field again on Friday.

North Central opened action versus Maranatha Baptist University (Watertown, Wis.) on Thursday. The Rams got in front in their first at bat when senior Keisha Carpentier (Coon Rapids, Minn./Anoka-Ramsey CC) scored with two outs on a wild pitch. After a scoreless second inning for both teams and Maranatha stranded a runner at third in the top of the third, NCU grabbed control with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Sophomore Rachael Thearin (Hayward, Wis./Hayward) got the action started with a two RBI double to left center. Thearin then advanced to third on wild pitch and sophomore Meryn Garvey (Des Moines, Iowa/Roosevelt) reached on a walk and stole second to give NCU runners at second and third with no outs. Senior Paisley Bennett (Monroe, Wis./Monroe) then reached on a fielders choice that drove in Thearin and moved Garvey to third. Senior Rachel Powell (Duncansville, Pa./Holidaysburg) then reached on a bunt single down the third base line that allowed Garvey to score on the throw to first.

Maranatha got their only run in the top of the sixth inning before the Rams added three more in their part of the same inning. Sophomore Jamie High (Buffalo, Minn./Buffalo) led off the inning with a stand up double to right center before sophomore Allison Monson (Wadena, Minn./Wadena-Deer Creek) got an infield hit that moved High to third. Keisha Carpentier then reached on an error and moved up when the throw to third was late attempting to cut off Monson who got in safely. Sophomore Holly Pieper (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake) then grounded out to short for the Rams first out that also drove in Monson. Carpentier then scored on a wild pitch to wrap up the inning.

NCU then got the final three outs in the seventh to take their first win of the year. Meryn Garvey got the win in the circle going all seven innings allowing one earned run on three hits and striking out six. Rachael Thearin was 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI at the plate.

After the Rams took the day's first game, Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) defeated Maranatha 11-2 in five innings before taking the field again against NCU. The Knights took a 2-0 lead and were in front 2-1 after three full innings. NCU held the Knights off the board in the top of the fourth before taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Rachel Thearin got the one-out rally started with a single to left field. Meryn Garvey then walked and Paisley Bennett singled to load the bases. Jamie High then smacked her second double of the day to center field that moved Bennett to third and scored both Thearin and Garvey. The Rams were unable to get anything more going and the Knights took back control in the top of the fifth.

Martin Luther posted six runs in their next at bat, all earned, and the Rams fought back but could not get a big rally going. NCU got two in their part of the fifth but the Knights added another one in the sixth and three more in the seventh. NCU got something going in their final at bat but only plated a single run in a 12-6 loss.

Meryn Garvey took the loss, going all seven innings and giving up nine earned runs on 17 hits. Rachael Thearin and Paisley Bennett were each 2-4 with a double and an RBI in game two. Holly Pieper was also 2-4. Jamie High was 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI.

The Rams will get things started on Friday at Plymouth Creek at 8:50 a.m. when they host Maranatha Bapist. They will take on Martin Luther at 11:10 a.m. in game two before wrapping up with Crown College (St. Bonifacius, Minn.) at 1:15 p.m.