Pioneers Drop 2 to Open Season

The Basics
Game 1 Score: MNU 3 - Northwestern 12
Game 2 Score: MNU 4 - Saint Xavier 6
Records: MNU (0-2), Northwestern (6-0), Saint Xavier (1-0)
Location: ASM Dome | Sioux Center, Iowa

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa - MNU opened the season with a tough loss against Northwestern, falling 12-3 on Wednesday. The Pioneers struck first in the bottom of the first inning when Alli VanLanker reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Kelly Stoakes. However, Northwestern responded with a three-run third inning to take the lead and never looked back.

A late push in the fifth saw MNU cut the deficit to 7-3 thanks to an RBI single from VanLanker and a sacrifice fly from Dakoda Hobbs, but a five-run seventh from Northwestern put the game out of reach.

Game 1 Turning Point
Northwestern's 3-run 3rd inning game them the lead for good.

Game 1 Individual Leaders
Kelly Stoakes (2-4, 2 R, 2B), Abby Schulte (3-4, 2B), Alli VanLanker (2-4, 2 RBI), and Dakoda Hobbs (1-3, RBI, SF) had MNU's 8 hits.

Game 2 - MNU stayed close in Game 2 but came up short in a 6-4 loss to Saint Xavier. The Pioneers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a bases-loaded walk from Elayna Goff and an RBI single from Maddie Brooks. After Saint Xavier tied it in the bottom of the first, MNU regained the lead in the third when Goff doubled home a run and Mandy Brown executed a squeeze bunt to bring in another, making it 4-2.

Saint Xavier rallied with two runs in the third and took the lead for good in the fifth, scoring 2 runs to win 6-4.

Game 2 Turning Point
Saint Xavier's two-run fifth inning gave them the lead for good.

Game 2 Individual Leaders
Mandy Brown went the distance and struck out 4 in the loss. And Kelly Stoakes (2-4, R), Abby Schulte (2-3, 2 R, BB), and Elayna Goff (1-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) led the offense.
 
Up Next
The next games are Saturday vs. Mount Marty and Midland at 5:00/7:00.