KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Northern State University Wolves garnered their second win of the young 2009 season on Monday, claiming a 5-3 decision over NCAA Central Region foe Chadron State in NSU’s second game of the day.  The win, which improves the Wolves’ season record to 2-7 heading into Tuesday’s action, comes after dropping a 7-2 decision to Tiffin to open the day.

Defensive errors and unearned runs proved to be the deal breakers in Game 1, as the Wolves committed eight defensive miscues on the day.  The Dragons also benefitted from three straight 2-run innings, while holding the Wolves to just two runs on eight hits to preserve the win.

Five of NSU’s seven runners left on base were in scoring position.

Game two, however, proved to be the break-through game the Wolves were looking for.  Freshman Cat Zimmerman led off the bottom of the first inning with her first career home run, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

After going down in order in the second inning, the Wolves put together a 4-run offensive onslaught in the bottom of the third to take control of the game.  Despite a lead-off ground-out to start the inning, the Wolves then sent six straight batters to the plate who reached base by virtue of either a walk or a hit, plating all but two of those base runners before the Eagles managed to escape the inning.

Chadron State, however, did not go away quietly, getting a pair of 2-out runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut the gap to 5-3, but NSU senior Breanna Milnes, making her second appearance of the day after being charged with the loss in Game 1, came on in relief to get the final out of the sixth and retire the Eagles in order in the seventh to pick up her first save of the year.

Freshman Kelli Bornander notched her first career victory for the Wolves, going five and two-thirds innings and striking out seven.