By: Scott DCamp, Northland Communications
Virginia, Minn. -
Northland softball split a pair of doubleheaders against MCAC North opponents Saturday and Sunday at Rock Ridge High School in Virginia, Minn. The Pioneers were victorious in the opening game of each doubleheader, defeating the Norse of Minnesota North College - Mesabi Range 11-5 in game one before falling by a score of 7-3 in game two. A similar story played out Sunday, with the Pioneers defeating the Voyageurs of MNC-Rainy River 13-8 in game one before falling 13-12 in a wild game two.
Saturday games vs. MNC-Mesabi Range
The Pioneers trailed 5-1 through one inning of play in game one Saturday, but quickly tied the game with four runs in the top of the second and they regained the lead with a run in the top of the third. Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Pioneers plated three runs in the top of the fifth and they added single tallies in the sixth and seventh to secure the 11-5 win.
Kaydence Augustine picked up the win in game one for the Pioneers after pitching six scoreless innings in relief of starter
Annelise Castillo. Augustine gave up six hits and one walk while striking out five Norse batters.
Castillo,
Anneke Lacina,
Liza Bjerklie and
Rylie Fredrickson all had two hits for the Pioneers. Bjerklie went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles while scoring a run and batting in another. Castillo went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Lacina went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs, and Fredrickson went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
The Pioneers held a 2-1 lead through three and a half innings of play in game two, but the Norse used a four-run fourth to move in front 5-2. The Norse added two more runs in the fifth and held the Pioneers to just one run in the sixth on their way to a 7-3 win.
Leslie Murken took the loss for the Pioneers. She allowed five runs, three earned, on three hits. She walked four Norse hitters and struck out two. After pitching six innings in game one, Augustine pitched in relief in game two and allowed a pair of runs on three hits in her two innings of work.
Augustine and
Tiyana Schwinghammer each had multiple hits for the Pioneers in game two. Augustine went 2-for-3 and scored a run, while Schwinghammer went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored.
Emilee Tate recorded the only RBI for the Pioneers on a groundout to short in the second.
Sunday games vs. MNC-Rainy River
The Pioneers were originally slated to travel to International Falls for Sunday's doubleheader against the Voyageurs. The Voyageur's home field was not playable, however, so the doubleheader was moved to the turf field at Rock Ridge High School in Virginia.
The Voyageurs struck first on Sunday with three runs in the bottom of the first. The Pioneers answered with eight runs in the top of the third, but the Voyageurs battled back with a run in the bottom of the third and four in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game 8-8. The Pioneers regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth and they tacked on three more in the top of the seventh to secure the 13-8 win.
Leslie Murken went the distance for the Pioneers in game one. She allowed eight runs, two of which were earned, on eight hits. She walked four batters and struck out one.
The Pioneers tallied 17 hits in game one, with eight going for extra bases. Castillo, Murken (2), Lacina, Bjerklie, Schwinghammer, and Fredrickson hit doubles, with Schwinghammer adding the only triple of the game for the Pioneers. Castillo (2), Murken, Lacina (3), Schwinghammer (2),
Tessa Hoglo and Fredrickson recorded RBIs for the Pioneers.
Sunday's game two was a shootout from the start, with five lead changes. The Pioneers trailed 2-0 through one inning of play. They took their first lead with three runs in the top of the second. The Voyageurs tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second. The Pioneers took a 4-3 lead with a run in the top of the fourth, but the Voyageurs regained the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Voyageurs took a commanding 11-4 lead with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning but the Pioneers answered with a run in the top of the sixth and seven runs in the top of the seventh to take a 12-11 lead. The lead wouldn't last, however, as the Voyageurs had one last rally in them to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win in a walk-off.
Bjerklie, Schwinghammer, Tate and Castillo recorded multiple hits for the Pioneers in game two. Schwinghammer went 3-for-4 with three triples. She scored three runs and batted in two more. Tate went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Bjerklie went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored; and Castillo went 2-for-4 with pair of RBI.
Up next
The Pioneers will play at home for the first time during the 2025 season Wednesday, April 16 in a doubleheader against Minnesota North - Itasca. Game one begins at 3 p.m.
April 12, 2025
Northland Community & Technical College at Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range
Game 1
11
5
Line Score
| Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
| Northland Community & Technical College |
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
11 |
10 |
0 |
| Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
10 |
6 |
Box Score
Batting
2B: Annelise Castillo , Leslie Murken , Liza Bjerklie (2)
RBI: Leslie Murken (2) , Anneke Lacina (2) , Liza Bjerklie , Kaydence Augustine , Emilee Tate , Tessa Hoglo
Sac: Emilee Tate
Sac Fly: Emilee Tate
Baserunning
SB: Annelise Castillo , Liza Bjerklie (2) , Kaydence Augustine , Tiyana Schwinghammer
CS: Rylie Fredrickson
Batting
2B: Hannah Edwards , Katie Peck , Allie Bittman
RBI: Hannah Edwards , Katie Peck , Allie Bittman , Jerzie Gustafson , Gabby Lira
Fielding
E: Hannah Edwards , Katie Peck , Talise Goodsky (2) , Jerzie Gustafson (2)
Pitching
Batters faced: Annelise Castillo (9) , Kaydence Augustine (25)
WP: Kaydence Augustine
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
| Katie Peck (L, 0-1) |
7.0 |
10 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
| Totals |
7.0 |
10 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
Pitching
Batters faced: Katie Peck (39)
HBP: Katie Peck (2)
April 12, 2025
Northland Community & Technical College at Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range
Game 2
3
7
Line Score
| Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
| Northland Community & Technical College |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
1 |
| Minnesota North College-Mesabi Range |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
X |
7 |
6 |
3 |
Box Score
Batting
2B: Tiyana Schwinghammer
RBI: Emilee Tate
Sac: Emilee Tate
Baserunning
CS: Leslie Murken , Liza Bjerklie
Fielding
E: Annelise Castillo
Batting
2B: Talise Goodsky
RBI: Jenna Sacco-Lamusga , Jerzie Gustafson , Talise Goodsky (3)
Fielding
E: Jenna Sacco-Lamusga , Hannah Edwards , Jerzie Gustafson
Pitching
Batters faced: Leslie Murken (20) , Kaydence Augustine (9)
WP: Leslie Murken (4) , Kaydence Augustine
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
| Gabby Lira (W, 1-0) |
7.0 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Totals |
7.0 |
7 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Pitching
Batters faced: Gabby Lira (31)
April 13, 2025
Northland Community & Technical College at Minnesota North College-Rainy River
Game 1
(0-0)
13
(0-0)
8
Line Score
| Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
| Northland Community & Technical College |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
13 |
17 |
0 |
| Minnesota North College-Rainy River |
3 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
7 |
2 |
Box Score
Batting
2B: Annelise Castillo , Leslie Murken (2) , Anneke Lacina , Liza Bjerklie , Tiyana Schwinghammer , Rylie Fredrickson
3B: Tiyana Schwinghammer
RBI: Annelise Castillo (2) , Leslie Murken , Anneke Lacina (3) , Tiyana Schwinghammer (2) , Tessa Hoglo , Rylie Fredrickson
Baserunning
SB: Leslie Murken , Liza Bjerklie , Kaydence Augustine , Tiyana Schwinghammer , Emilee Tate , Rylie Fredrickson
Fielding
DP: Kaydence Augustine
Batting
2B: Anitza Gutierrez , Kayla Ruiz
HR: Anitza Gutierrez
RBI: Hattie Ulrich , Baylee Castillo (2) , Anitza Gutierrez (3)
Sac: Kailyn Lang
GIDP: Anahi Martinez
Baserunning
SB: Anitza Gutierrez (2) , Kayla Ruiz
Fielding
E: Jazlyn Phillips (2)
DP: Rorie Hansen , Taniya Hamilton
Pitching
Batters faced: Leslie Murken (33)
WP: Leslie Murken (3)
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
| Hattie Ulrich (L, 0-0) |
7.0 |
17 |
13 |
13 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
| Totals |
7.0 |
17 |
13 |
13 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
Pitching
Batters faced: Hattie Ulrich (42)
WP: Hattie Ulrich
Other Information
| Location: |
1501 hwy 71, Interna |
| Attendance: |
0 |
|
April 13, 2025
Northland Community & Technical College at Minnesota North College-Rainy River
Game 2
(0-0)
12
(0-0)
13
Line Score
| Final |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
| Northland Community & Technical College |
0 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
12 |
14 |
0 |
| Minnesota North College-Rainy River |
2 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
13 |
15 |
3 |
Box Score
Batting
2B: Liza Bjerklie (2)
3B: Tiyana Schwinghammer (3)
RBI: Rylie Fredrickson , Liza Bjerklie (2) , Tiyana Schwinghammer (2) , Emilee Tate (3) , Annelise Castillo (2)
Sac: Emilee Tate
Baserunning
SB: Emilee Tate
Batting
2B: Anahi Martinez , Hattie Ulrich , Kailyn Lang
3B: Kailyn Lang
HR: Anitza Gutierrez
RBI: Anitza Gutierrez (3) , Anahi Martinez (2) , Kayla Ruiz (4) , Hattie Ulrich , Jazlyn Phillips , Kailyn Lang (2)
Sac: Baylee Castillo
Baserunning
SB: Anitza Gutierrez (3)
Fielding
E: Anitza Gutierrez , Rorie Hansen , Taniya Hamilton
Pitching
Batters faced: Kaydence Augustine (39)
WP: Kaydence Augustine
| Pitchers |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
BB |
SO |
HR |
| Kailyn Lang (W, 0-0) |
7.0 |
11 |
12 |
8 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
| Totals |
7.0 |
11 |
12 |
8 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
Pitching
Batters faced: Kailyn Lang (38)
HBP: Kailyn Lang
Other Information
| Location: |
1501 hwy 71, Interna |
| Attendance: |
0 |
|
