The Northwestern softball team has put together a surprising start to the season despite having just two seniors. But heading into last week's game against Salisbury, the Tigers still hadn't beaten a team with a winning record in 2015.

That all changed for Northwestern last Friday.

After watching Salisbury tie the game at 7-7 in the top half of the seventh, Northwestern's Kaitlyn Bowers lifted the Tigers with one swing of the bat.

Bowers launched a walkoff homerun to deep center field that launched the Tigers (5-2 in Colonial League) to an 8-7 victory at Northwestern High School. Salisbury, now 3-4 in the Colonial League, entered the game at 3-1 in conference play.

"We wanted to send a message today that we can contend in this league," head coach Josh Zimmerman said. "Salisbury is a quality program, and they are winning a lot of games. Give them a lot of credit. They can hit the ball, and they have pretty decent pitching."

"It's great momentum going into the rest of the season," Bowers said. "To beat a team like that, we know we can come back and get the win."

Bowers' hit came in the Tigers' first at-bat of the seventh after Melissa Kugler's game-tying sacrifice fly scored Rachel Costantini in the top half of the frame.

"I was just looking for a pitch to hit," Bowers said. "Basically to get a single and keep us going so that we could come back and score."

"When she [Bowers] gets ahold of it, it's going to go," Zimmerman said. "She's a little streaky, but when she gets good contact it's going to go. And it's going to go hard. Her biggest thing, and she did it today, is picking out her pitch."

Northwestern's offense exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the second to take a commanding 6-2 lead over the Falcons. After Claire O'Dea's walk scored Jessica Badman, Sunny Greenberg's three-run double pushed the Tigers' lead to 5-2.

Ellen Marie Smith then launched an RBI-triple in the Tigers' next plate appearance. All of Northwestern's runs in the second came with two outs.

But Salisbury responded in the top of the third inning with four runs to tie the game back up at 6-6.

Meghan Williams' RBI-single started Salisbury's rally, and two Tiger errors in consecutive plate appearances resulted in runs for the visiting Falcons. Lil Crouthamel then connected on her second of three hits to bring home Williams, the game-tying run.

The Tigers, however, quickly regained the lead in the fourth on an RBI-groundout from Greenberg.

"All day we were like are we going to play or aren't we going to play," Zimmerman said. "It took our girls a little bit to get focused, which is something we're not used to. We're usually focused from the first pitch on, but it's an attribute to these girls. They never quit."

Northwestern starter Lydia Danner, after allowing a combined eight hits and six runs in the second and third innings, settled down to allow just a run on six hits the rest of the way.

"Lydia [Danner] has ice running through her veins," Zimmerman said. "Nothing ever really seems to phase her. When we need a big out, she is ready."

The only team sitting ahead of Northwestern in the Colonial League West Division is Palmerton at 6-1. The Tigers travel to Palmerton on Friday at 4 p.m.