SHARPE PICKS UP FIRST WIN AS HEAD COACH OF NORTHEAST WITH SWEEP OF DAKOTA COUNTY IN MINNESOTA

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. – The Northeast Community College softball team traveled to the Rosemount Dome in Rosemount, Minnesota Friday to battle Dakota County Technical College in a doubleheader. The Hawks swept the Blue Knights by final scores of 10-2 and 6-5 to secure their first two victories of the season.

Northeast (2-8) was given a boost early in Game 1 as Malika Monroe (Valentine. Neb.) blasted a grand slam in the first inning to score Grace Sievers (Gibbon, Neb.), Kelsey Choplin (Gibbon, Neb.) and Amanda Quintana-Gonzales (Denver, Colo.). Choplin added two hits and finished the contest out in the circle to give Coach Sharpe her first victory at the helm of the Hawks.

Game 2 was a wild affair as both teams battled all the way until the ninth inning of the showdown. Choplin recorded three RBIs and tossed all nine innings for Northeast as a ground out from Lauren Lucero (Berthoud, Colo.) was enough to score Quintana-Gonzales and propel the Hawks to their second triumph of the day.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Malika Monroe (Valentine, Neb.): 2-2, HR, R, 5 RBI, BB

Grace Sievers (Gibbon, Neb.): 1-2, 2 R, RBI

Lauren Marker (Kearney, Neb.): 1-3, R, RBI

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Kelsey Choplin (Gibbon, Neb.): 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI

Lauren Marker (Kearney, Neb.): 4-5, 2B, 2 R

Kelsey Choplin (Gibbon, Neb.): 9 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 9 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Softball Coach Erin Sharpe on her squad taking down Dakota County today:

"The girls are working hard every day and doing the little things to get better," Sharpe said. "These two wins are a result of their hard work at practice and off the field. This is just the beginning. We may have a small roster size, but every girl here today was here to play and play hard."

Sharpe on who stood out during the sweep of the day:

"Kelsey Choplin did great in the circle keeping us in it both games," Sharpe said. "Kelsey also had a couple of big at-bats that helped out. Malika Monroe's grand slam really opened the first game. Overall, everyone contributed at times and stepped up when need be."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will make the short trip to take on Central Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday in Columbus, Nebraska.

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