Midland, Mich. – The Kentucky Wesleyan softball team (3-30, 0-16 G-MAC) suffered two five-inning losses versus Northwood on Friday.
The Timberwolves (17-17, 10-6 G-MAC) jumped out to a 7-0 lead after just two innings in game one before Wesleyan earned three runs back in the top of the third.
Bailey Markus led off with a single and Riley Cunningham doubled to plate Markus and put KWC on the board. Later in the frame, Kennedy Matheis came up and lifted her team-leading fourth home run of the season over the center field wall to close the Panthers' deficit to 7-3.
Over their next three turns at the plate, Northwood scratched across four additional runs to trigger the run-rule in their 11-3 win.
Each of Markus and Chloe Apple had two hits in the game to add to Cunningham's RBI double and Matheis' two-RBI home run. Hannah Beasley added a hit and Abby Cunningham worked a walk to account for Wesleyan's other two baserunners.
It was the Panthers who jumped out to an early lead in game two. In the top of the first, Markus walked and Riley Cunningham reached on an error on a sac bunt to put runners on the corners with just one out. Matheis came to the plate next and delivered with a single to left field to give KWC a 1-0 advantage out of the gates.
The Timberwolves plated three runs in the bottom of the second before the Panthers offense went back to work in the top of the third. Matheis worked a walk with two outs before Paige Crain reached on a muffed throw to put two on for Beasley. The third basemen ripped a double to left field on the first pitch she saw, scoring Matheis and pulling Wesleyan within one at 3-2.
Northwood took control from there with one run in the third, five in the fourth, and three in the fifth to again trigger the run-rule in their 12-2 win.
Matheis, Beasley, and Lauren Pellerito each had a hit in the game, highlighted by Beasley's double. Markus, Apple, Matheis, and Abby Cunningham each worked a walk.
Wesleyan is next scheduled to head to Hillsdale, Michigan, for a doubleheader against the Chargers on Sunday, April 19th. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM and both games will be streamed live on FloCollege.
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