Ortega hits walk-off winner as Tigers pick up two wins
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team continued their winning ways Tuesday night as they took down Great Plains Athletic Conference foe, Northwestern College. DWU won the first game 8-3, and the second game 4-3 in walk-off fashion at Dr. McWhirter Field in Mitchell.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern (IA) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| Dakota Wesleyan | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | X | 8 | 8 | 1 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern (IA) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 |
| Dakota Wesleyan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team continued their winning ways Tuesday night as they took down Great Plains Athletic Conference foe, Northwestern College. DWU won the first game 8-3, and the second game 4-3 in walk-off fashion at Dr. McWhirter Field in Mitchell.
The Tigers (16-27, 6-6 GPAC) scored first in the second inning after Andriana Sprakel (Yankton, S.D) doubled to right field, bringing in two runners. DWU added another run in the third inning before an offensive explosion in the sixth.
Alize Martinez (Palmdale, Calif.) concluded the five-run inning with a single to right field, bringing in two runners to put the Tigers up 8-3.
Amber Budmark (Sacramento, Calif.) led the charge going 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run. Martinez finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run while Sprakel added a double and two RBIs.
Haage went the distance and picked up the win after pitching seven innings, allowing three earned runs off eight hits and striking out four batters.
The Red Raiders (20-19, 7-7 GPAC) struck first in Game Two with a run to open the game. DWU answered immediately with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Northwestern tied the game in the top of the second inning after adding two runs.
With the score tied at three in the bottom of the seventh inning, Melysia Ortega (West Covina, Calif.) came to the plate and nailed a walk-off double to center field, bringing in Paige Kinley (Worthington, Minn.) for the 4-3 victory.
Ortega went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs as Kinley finished 2-for-4 with two runs. Haage pitched one inning after being relieved by Lorissa Loeppky (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Loeppky picked up the win after pitching six innings, striking out five batters and allowing one run off three hits.
The Tigers welcome Doane University to town for a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Thursday at Dr. McWhirter Field in Mitchell, S.D.
