TIGERS SWEEP DEFENDERS IN DRAMATIC FASHION ON SENIOR DAY

Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan softball grabbed two wins on the final day of regular season play, thanks to a single up the middle by Nora Nelson in game one to score the winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning. Then in game two, Tianna Boone hits a towering two-run home run to left-center field for the walk-off win in the seventh.

The Quick Details:

Game One

DWU 1 – DOR 0 (10 innings)

Game Two

DWU 5 – DOR 4

How It Happened

Game One

• Game one was a battle of the pitchers; Tigers starting pitcher Tava Boone only allowed four hits through the first five complete innings of play.
• The Tigers saw one hit through five complete innings, leaving three runners stranded on base.
• Base runners were kept to a minimum by both teams as the Defenders only stranded six, and the Tigers had five stranded base runners.
• As we headed to the top of the tenth inning still tied at 0-0, the international tie-breaker rule came into effect; this placed the last batter of the previous inning on second before the inning started.
• The international tie-breaker placed Terpstra on second base for Dordt as Ta. Boone, was set to toss the first pitch of the tenth.
• The Defenders quickly moved her to third base on a sacrifice bunt as they now had one out.
• Ta. Boone made quick work of the next two batters, striking both out swinging.
• Jaden Warner was placed on second base to start the bottom of the tenth inning before advancing to third base on a wild pitch and no outs.
• Reagan Grossi could not bring her home as she flied out to center field for the first out.
• The pinch-hit hero in game one was Nora Nelson; Nelson hit the gap up the middle of the field for Warner to easily cross home for the walk-off win in game one.
• Nelson was 1-for-1 with the game-winning RBI as Warner tallied the lone run in game one.
• Tava Boone went the distance allowing five hits and striking out ten of her 35 batters faced with 107 total pitches, 76 of which were strikes.

Game Two

• Game two was a battle on both offense and defense for both teams.
• Dordt started things off in the first getting two runners on before stranding them on second and third base.
• Dakota Wesleyan kicked off game two with Alyssa Burke reaching first on an error by the Defenders third baseman before Adriana Thomason got the bunt single.
• The Tigers were unable to tally a run in the first frame of play as they also stranded two runners.
• After a scoreless second inning, the Defenders jumped out to a 3-0 lead after an RBI double and a two-RBI single to right-center field.
• The Tigers held Dordt to only one run in the sixth inning after getting the final out on a tag at home from center fielder Adriana Thomason to Allison McElveny, keeping the score at 4-0.
• McKinnely Mull got DWU rolling in the bottom of the sixth inning with a single to center field.
• Tianna Boone stepped into the box with one out and one runner on before a towering two-run home run to left-center field, cutting the Dordt lead in half, 4-2.
• As McElveny and A. Thomason stepped off the field for the final time in the top of the seventh, the Tigers were able to strand a runner on second and third.
• With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Mull dropped a double into center field for the first runner aboard.
• Nelson brought her around with a single to center field to come within one, 4-3, as the go-ahead run stepped to the plate.
• Ti. Boone represented the go-ahead run for the Tigers with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
• Ti. Boone saw her pitch and hit back-to-back home runs to left-center field to the walk-off win to sweep the Defenders as they close the books on the 2022 regular season.
• Mull was 2-for-4 with two runs and a double, and Nelson was 2-for-3 with one run and an RBI.
• Ti. Boone was the hero in game two, going 2-for-3 with two runs, four RBI, and back-to-back home runs.

Up Next

Dakota Wesleyan softball will begin preparations for the 2023 season as they say; thank you; to their two seniors in, Allison McElveny and Adriana Thomason. Head coach Derek Lien stated, "There's not much more you can ask for from players than what these young ladies provided day in and day out. They have been an instrumental part of our continued development."