Myrtle Beach, SC — MYRTLE BEACH, SC – The Norse Softball Team (9-9) capped off their spring break trip. They ended the week being swept in a three-game series with Henry Ford College (7-1) before taking two out of three games from Rochester Community and Technical College (4-11). On Tuesday Bay's offense struggled to find any sort of traction in the opener against the Hawks of Henry Ford. Rachelle Frederick (FR, Ypsilanti, MI) had a lot to do with that, as she dealt a five inning, no-hit shutout from the pitcher's circle. She walked just two and struck out two. The Norse defense struggled as well. Five Bay errors contributed to five unearned runs. Rachael Winkel (FR, Silvis, IL) took the loss, even though she only gave up one earned run. Henry Ford had six hits, six runs, and three walks off of her, and she struck out two. The Norse fell by a final of 8-0. The Hawks flexed their offensive muscle in late the nightcap, bringing around 12 runs, ten of those coming in the fifth inning and beyond. The Norse scored their only run in the second when Natalie Belanger (FR, Rapid River, MI) singled to drive in Ellie Miller (FR, Ishpeming, MI). Bay had just four hits in the game. Emily Wiltsie (FR, Taylor, MI) picked up the complete game win. The run she surrendered was unearned, and she walked one and struck out six. Karlie Patron (SO, Ishpeming, MI) was saddled with the loss. She surrendered seven hits, six runs, four earned, and two walks while striking out two in five innings of work. Henry Ford took game two by a final of 12-1. The conclusion of the series continued in the favor of Henry Ford on Wednesday. This time Frederick pitched four innings and gave up five hits, one earned run, a walk and struck out one, and gave way to Wiltsie who authored a "one-two-three" fifth inning that included a strike out. Ellie Miller finished two for two in the game. She led off the fourth with a triple to center and scored on Winkel's groundball a batter later. Winkel got roughed up in two and one thirds inning for the loss. Patron finished the final inning and two thirds and was only able to slightly slow down the Hawks' offense. Henry Ford swept the series with a 9-1 victory in the finale. On Thursday the Norse opened a series with the Yellowjackets in a game that went into extra innings. Down 6-1 going into the top of the fifth, the Norse got a two-out rally going to cut into the lead. With runners on second and third Patron hit a single into short right that scored two. Avery Sorochan (FR, Two Hills, AB) and Winkel hit back-to-back singles plating the third run of the inning. An error sent Sorochan to the plate, cutting the lead to just one run. RCTC responded with two in the bottom half, but the Norse were not done. In the sixth they would load the bases and score the first run of the inning on a passed ball. Patron came through again with a two-RBI single, tying up the game. Winkel drove her home with two outs, giving the Norse their first lead of the game. The Yellowjackets wasted no time tying the game up in the sixth, which would eventually force extra innings. Bay went down in order in the top half, setting the scene for a walk-off victory for RCTC. Kelsey Grunewald (FR, Madella, MN) hit an infield single to give the Yellowjackets a win by the final 10-9. Patron ended two for four with four RBI. Winkel was also two for four with two RBI. Belanger took the loss in relief, giving up three hits and three earned runs on six walks and two strikeouts. She pitched three and one third inning. The Norse bounced back to snap a six-game losing streak in the second game on Thursday afternoon. Miller helped Bay grab an early lead, stinging a line drive to left that went for a two-run, inside-the-park homerun. The Norse added an insurance run in the third, taking advantage of defensive miscue by the Yellowjackets to score. Bay got a gem from Patron in the circle. She went the distance, pitching seven innings and giving up one earned run as she scattered five hits, walked just one, and struck out three. The Norse won by a final score of 3-1. In the final game of the trip Bay piled on runs late to overtake RCTC and win by a final of 8-4. The Norse tied the game up at three in the fifth with an RBI single from Winkel. They regained the lead in the sixth when CC Pilon (FR, Rapid River, MI) doubled to drive in a run. A batter later Sarah Wynn (SO, Pitt Meadows, BC) singled to bring Belanger and Pilon to the plate. Belanger drove in two more in the seventh with an RBI single and although RCTC rallied in the seventh, they would get just one run allowing the Norse to finish their spring trip on a high note. Belanger led the way with a three for four day and three runs driven in. Lexi Kacalo (FR, Marinette, WI) added a pair of hits in three at bats, one of those hits being a triple, and added a walk and an RBI. Pilon hit a pair of doubles in three at bats, with a walk and an RBI. Patron pitched seven innings for the win. She gave up 12 hits, four earned runs, a walk, and struck out three. The Norse will continue their season on March 21 and 22 in Minneapolis, MN. They will participate in the annual Region 13 Crossover and play six games against four different teams.