Season ends for DWU at GPAC tournament

CRETE, Neb. – The most successful season in program history for Dakota Wesleyan University softball came to a close with a loss in the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament Thursday at Doane College in Crete, Neb.

The Tigers dropped an elimination game to Nebraska Wesleyan University 5-0, ending the DWU season with a record of 33-22. The Tigers set numerous team records in 2016, including wins (33), hits (485), runs scored (273), doubles (101), home runs (37), slugging percentage (.468), fielding percentage (.954) and batting average (.319).

The Tiger offense never got going against NWU. DWU was able to get runners on, but line drives right at defenders and solid pitching from the Prairie Wolves ended each Tiger threat. DWU was held off the scoreboard and limited to six hits.

Down 2-0 in the fourth inning, freshman Savannah Ahumada (Turlock, Calif.) started a DWU rally with a double, followed by a single from freshman Sierra Haage (Sioux Falls, S.D.) to put runners on the corners with no outs. Next up was freshman Karly Severance (Las Vegas, Nev.), who ripped a line drive, but right at the NWU shortstop, who threw to first to pick off Haage. Ahumada tried to score of the chaotic play but was tagged out at home for a triple play.

The Prairie Wolves scored one in the first and another in the second, while freshman DWU pitcher Hallie Misiaszek (Mitchell, S.D.) kept the damage to a minimum despite NWU getting runners on base consistently. The No. 7 seed Prairie Wolves broke through with three in the sixth to take a commanding lead and put the game away.

DWU all-time hits leader Hailey Unger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) was the lone Tiger with two hits, including a double. Misiaszek took the loss, pitching into the sixth, allowing four runs on nine hits, while walking two and striking out one.