Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 REDDING, Calif. – Northwest University earned a split in their opening games of the 2017 season today in Northern California. NU dropped a morning contest to Simpson University and then came back to shutout William Jessup on a two-hitter in six inning, rain shortened game.
 
Game 1 – Simpson 9, Northwest U 2
 
The Eagles opened the day with a 9-2 loss at the hands of No. 6 Simpson this morning on the Big League Dreams Field in Redding.
 
The Red Hawks pounded out 13 hits bringing 9 runs across the plate against NU starter, Hannah Yelas. Simpson took an early 3-1 lead after one inning and put the game away in the 6th inning as they scored 3 more runs.
 
Aubrey Slocum led the Eagles (0-1) going 2 for 4 from the plate including a triple and scored both NU runs. Yeawa Asabi and Allie Anderegg both went 2 for 4 for the Eagles. Yelas did strikeout 8 Red Hawk batters and issued only 3 walks for the game. The NU defense was solid with just one error for the game.
 
For Simpson (5-0), it was Madison Wright with a big day at the plate going 4 for 5 with 4 RBI's and scoring four times for the Red Hawks. Bailey Akins was 1 for 3 and drove in 2 runs. Hailee Nichols picked up the win for SU going 5 innings, scattering 7 hits and giving up the two runs. Nichols did not walk a NU batter.
 
Game 1 – Simpson 9, Northwest U 2
 
Northwest University bounced back from a morning loss to post a 1-0 shutout victory over William Jessup in a 6 inning rain shortened game in Redding this afternoon. NU freshman pitcher Rachel Hawley threw a 2-hitter in her collegiate debut.
 
The lone run of the game would come in the top of the third inning for the Eagles when Aubrey Slocum scored after singled to get on base. Yeawa Asabi singled Slocum to second and then advance to third on a throwing error which put Danielle Bonsky on first.
 
Aubrey Slocum led Northwest U (1-1) going 1 for 2 and scoring the game winner. Yeawa Asabi was 1 for 1 and teammate Savannah Rush went 1 for 3 from the plate. The Eagles played errorless softball for the six innings of play. Hawley picked up the win in the circle for NU.
 
Kyla Cisneros and Haley Stevenson had the only hits for William Jessup (2-2). Mariah Gonzalez went 6 innings for Jessup in the circle and took the loss.

"Into the first two games of the spring season," said NU head coach, Montessa Califano, "We definitely are headed in the right direction. The ladies put the ball in play better than I have seen them in my two years here. All in all, this is a great group of ladies who are on a mission to leave their mark, we've talked about our vision and the process we need to get us there and already we can see it is working, we will continue to chip away and trust the process." 

The Eagles resume play tomorrow with the same two teams facing William Jessup at 1 p.m., and Simpson at 3 p.m.