Tigers stumble versus Hastings on the road
Hastings, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team stumbled in Great Plains Athletic Conference play versus Hastings College on Friday from the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Neb. Dakota Wesleyan was held scoreless in the first game and lost by a score of 7-0 followed by a 4-2 defeat in game two.
Hastings, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team stumbled in Great Plains Athletic Conference play versus Hastings College on Friday from the Smith Softball Complex in Hastings, Neb.
Dakota Wesleyan was held scoreless in the first game and lost by a score of 7-0 followed by a 4-2 defeat in game two.
The opening game of the doubleheader turned into a pitcher's dual after Hastings took an early 1-0 lead at the conclusion of the first frame. Over the next two innings, both pitchers combined to surrender just one hit while Alyssa Burke (Rapid City, S.D.) fanned back-to-back hitters to finish the second inning for Dakota Wesleyan.
Haley Linke (Mitchell, S.D.) led off the top of the fourth inning with a walk, however, was caught stealing on a stolen-base attempt to second. The next three Tiger (9-19,1-11 GPAC) hitters were recorded in order and the Broncos (14-23, 6-10 GPAC) continued the momentum in the bottom half of the fourth frame with four runs on three hits and took a 5-0 advantage.
DWU tallied another baserunner in the fifth inning as Lena McCoy (Estherville, Iowa) registered a one-out single to left field, though Dakota Wesleyan was unable to push across any runs. Meanwhile, HC added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth and sixth frames and leveraged a 7-0 lead as the game entered the final inning of play. Despite an infield hit with one out by Nora Nelson (Rapid City, S.D.), Hastings held on for the 7-0 victory in game one.
In the second game of the day, the Broncos once again worked an early 1-0 lead at the conclusion of the first frame. The Tigers responded in the top of the second inning as DWU snatched its first lead of day. McCoy continued her momentum at the plate with a lead-off double to centerfield. Wasting no time, Meghan Daffern (Tehachapi, Calif.) launched a two-run homerun, the first of her career, and the Tigers held the 2-1 lead.
However, the DWU lead evaporated in the bottom of the third frame despite a lead-off double by Reagan Nebel (Hayti, S.D.) in the top half of the third frame. Hastings pieced together a pair of runs on three hits and now maintained a 3-2 advantage.
To begin the top of the fourth inning, Daffern, who finished 2-of-3 from the plate singled to right. Destinee Nelson (Henry, S.D.) followed as she reached via an error, though the Tigers were unable to push across any runs. Hastings then expanded its lead to 4-2 in the bottom half of the fourth frame thanks to a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt.
McCoy, who finished 2-of-3 from the plate as well, singled in the fifth frame as DWU managed a pair of baserunners. Linke also reached successfully thanks to a walk, though this proved to be the Tigers last chance at a comeback and the Broncos held on for the 4-2 victory.
Dakota Wesleyan remains on the road and returns to action next versus Doane University at 1 p.m. tomorrow from the Doane Ballfield Complex in Crete, Neb.