MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- After a game that was paused due to darkness the last night, the North Central University (NCU) softball team had a long day ahead of them. The Rams took on the Maranatha Baptist University (MBU) Sabercats again on their home field to round out their first weekend of competition. Managing to capitalize on the momentum they gained on Friday night, NCU routed MBU, 22-12 in game one. The Rams then continued their momentum into the first full game of the day by earning back-to-to-back wins and defeating the Sabercats 14-7. In the final game, NCU fell to MBU 22-9, earning them an even split in their opening weekend.

Game One Recap

Picking right where they left off yesterday, the Rams held the advantage with the score at 15-9 at the end of three innings. The bats came alive for an offensive explosion in which NCU scored ten runs, fueled by timely hits from the entire lineup. In the fourth inning the Rams held the Sabercats to only one run. Pitcher Catherine SanMiguel (San Antonio, TX, Kaiserslautern High School) shut the Maranatha bats down to get North Central back up to the plate. NCU's offensive surge continued with several extra base hits that managed to put across another seven runs in just the fourth inning alone. Freshman Lindsey DeJong (St. Charles, MO, St. Charles High School) came in clutch for the Rams with four hits and four RBI's. Both DeJong and Alexis Jorgensen (Coon Rapids, MN, Coon Rapids High school) smashed the ball hard enough for a triple, pushing more people to home base. Putting up 22 total runs on the Sabercats in the high-scoring affair, NCU earned their first win of the season.

Game Two Recap

The win energized the Rams and they came in hot to start the first full game of the afternoon. After just three innings, NCU had scored 12 runs to MBU's two. Lily Adams (White Bear Lake, MN, White Bear Lake Area High School) showed up swinging and had two crucial hits for NCU that fueled what would be an inning where the Rams batted through the entire lineup. Adams managed four RBI's from those two hits and one run of her own. Freshman shortstop, Selma Carrasco (El Paso, TX, Mountain View High School), brought in four runs to keep advancing the score. Megan Paulson (North Liberty, IA, Iowa City West High School) aided the Rams with two hits, two RBI's, and three runs. NCU's defense was solid throughout the entire five innings, as they posted their best stretch in regard to a limited amount of fielding errors. The second and third innings would only have three and four Sabercat hitters up to the plate. In the final few innings, the Rams' defense remained consistent while NCU tacked on a couple of additional insurance runs toward the end. Overall, NCU's strong offense and early offensive surge was instrumental to taking their third game of the season by a final score of 14 to 7.

Game Three Recap

In the final game of the day, the first few innings started out with multiple trades of the lead. After the first, NCU found themselves up three to two. Paulson had two early hits for the blue and gold that earned her an RBI while also making her away around the bases. On the defensive end, Paulson  and DeJong recorded five outs each that limited the damage in several crucial defensive innings. Adams came into relieve SanMiguel at pitcher, her first collegiate appearance on the mound and was able to get the Rams out of innings where the Sabercats got multiple runners on base. NCU had a late surge in the fourth inning that was first sparked by a double to left field by Carrasco. Down the final stretch of the third game, the Rams couldn't manufacture the runs needed to get back within striking distance, ending with a final score of 22 to 9.

Key Performers

• Through two and a half games, Catherine SanMiguel led the charge defensively and tallied 8 total strikeouts.
• Lindsey DeJong started the Rams' strong offensive performance in the first matchup by recording four hits, four RBI's, and three runs.
• Lily Adams put up two hits in the second game that resulted in four RBI's for the true freshman.
• At the plate Megan Paulson was showcased an impressive performance for North Central, adding five total hits, eight total runs, and five RBI's. 

Looking Ahead 

NCU softball now sits at a 2-2 overall record in their 2021 spring slate. The women in blue and gold will now have a week to recover after the four-game stint against the Sabercats this past weekend. The Rams are set to be back in action next Saturday, as they take on the Concordia College (CC) Cobbers in a non-conference affair. First pitch for the double-header will be 1:00 p.m. NCU softball fans are encouraged to stay tuned to official NCU Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages for any schedule updates or upcoming game information such as live video and live statistics.