Northwood Wins Second League Title

Northwood’s softball team has come a long way in two years in the Pacific Coast League.

With Thursday’s 6-0 victory over visiting Costa Mesa, the Timberwolves (13-9, 8-0) notched their 18th consecutive league victory and clinched their second consecutive league title.

Catcher Shannon Robinson hit a grand slam for Northwood, which leads the second-place Mustangs (12-8-1, 6-2) by two games with two to play.

Shortstop Allyson Pizula got things started in the second inning with a home run to left-center field, her third of the season.

Northwood made it 2-0 in the third when Amanda Ching scored on Amanda Garza’s sacrifice fly to left field. Ching reached base on a fielder’s choice and took third on Teresa Leyden’s single.

Meanwhile, Allison Lewis (13-9) kept Costa Mesa’s offense in check, pitching a three-hitter and striking out seven.

The Mustangs put 17 runners on base, largely because of four errors and six walks. But Northwood’s defense kept them from crossing home.

“I felt the defense got Allison out of a lot of jams today,” Northwood Coach Lori Peterson said. “I felt we had control of the game, but they sure put it on us.”

Robinson broke open the game in the fourth with her grand slam to right field, her first homer of the season, for a 6-0 advantage.

“We shot ourselves in the foot a lot of times,” Costa Mesa Coach Rick Buonarigo said of his team’s missed opportunities.