LIVONIA, Mich. - The Madonna University softball team took on one of the top teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on a blustery Thursday afternoon at University Field and suffered a 14-4 loss. 

The Crusaders slip to 9-3 ahead of a non-conference matchup with Calumet College of St. Josephs this weekend while the Timberwolves move to 8-2. 

The Blue and Gold fell behind early, 5-0, on a day that featured 20+ mile-per-hour winds. The visitors scored in the first and third innings before the MU offense got on the board in the bottom of the third as Sarah Holton doubled home Veronica Pezzoni and Jenna Gilbert. 

Northwood pushed the lead back to five with a two-run home run in the fourth, but a wild pitch allowed MU to cut into the lead as Brooke Garbarino scored. Unfortunately, NU scored seven runs in the fifth, thanks in part to a wind-aided grand slam, to put the game out of reach. 

The Crusaders were able to scratch across a run in the fifth on a Kattie Popko double, but that was it. 

Madonna was held to four hits and a walk in the contest. Taylor Hulett highlighted the pitching effort for the Crusaders as she allowed one unearned run on one hit with three strikeouts in her lone inning of work. 

UP NEXT
The Crusaders are back in action on Saturday, March 20 as they host Calumet college of St. Joseph (Ind.) in a doubleheader at University Field beginning at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at www.mucrusaders.com/tickets. Fans can read the most updated fan policy here.

Those that can't attend can watch the game at www.mucrusaders.com/watch. 

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