Softball opens play at Tucson Invitational

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team is five games into their annual Tucson Invitational with seven more games to be played this week in Tucson, Ariz.

 In the opening game of the Tucson Invitational, the Tigers (7-8) fell to Jarvis Christian College, 4-0.

 Jarvis took a 1-0 lead in the third inning after the batter was hit by a pitch, bringing home a run. In the top of the sixth frame, they extended their lead with a pair of runs on a single to left field. One inning later, Jarvis added an insurance run, as the Tigers could not score a run in the loss.

 Madeline Else (Holstein, Iowa) led the team at the plate as she went 2-for-4, while Alyssa Garcia (L.A. Verne, Calif.) and Julia Kelley (Omaha, Neb.) each finished 1-for-3. Alyson VanderPol (Mitchell, S.D.) was tabbed with the loss after pitching 5.1 innings and striking out a pair of batters.

 Later on Saturday, DWU responded with a 7-2 victory over the University of Antelope Valley.

 The Tigers got things going in the second inning as Allison McElveny (Chula Vista, Calif.) singled to center field, bringing home a pair of runs. One inning later, Stephanie Gabel (Sioux Falls, S.D.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing home another run to push the lead to three runs.

 Neither team scored until the final frame when Garcia smacked a double down the left-field line, scoring two runs. Two batters later, Devany Farris (Cheyenne, Wyo.) doubled to right field, as Garcia came home to score. Kindra Clark (Garretson, S.D.) finished the inning with an RBI single to center field to extend the lead to 7-0.

 UAV tried to make a late push with two runs in the bottom of the seventh frame, but it was not enough as the Tigers came away victorious.

 Garcia finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, as McElveny went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Meghan Daffern (Tehachapi, Calif.) picked up the win on the mound after pitching five innings, striking out two batters, allowing no runs.

 In the opening game on Monday, the Tigers fell to Viterbo University, 10-4.

 The V-Hawks opened the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the opening inning. However, the Tigers responded with three runs in the top of the second frame. All three runs came on bases-loaded walks.

 Viterbo responded with three runs in the bottom half of the frame to regain the lead, 5-3. The V-Hawks added a run in the next two innings and three runs in the bottom of the sixth frame. Adriana Thomason (Las Vegas, Nev.) nailed an RBI double to attempt a DWU comeback, but it was not enough as the Tigers fell.

 Thomason led the team at the plate as she finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Garcia went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Kyllie Ramirez (Revillo, S.D.) picked up the loss after pitching 2.1 innings, striking out two batters and allowing six runs.

 In the second game on Monday, the Tigers dropped their contest to Roosevelt, 11-2.

 The Lakers took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning and added two more runs in the third frame to hold a 5-0 lead. After Roosevelt tacked on three runs in the top of the fifth inning, Gabel hit a solo shot homerun over the left field fence to put the Tigers on the scoreboard. DWU added another run later in the same inning off an error as they trailed 7-2. The Lakers added three more runs in the next half inning to take the win.

 Gabel led the team as she went 1-for-3 with a homerun, as Garcia finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.

 In the final game of the day, DWU lost to Cardinal Stritch University, 13-0.

 CSU opened the game with nine runs through the first three innings of work. They went on to add four more runs in the fifth frame as DWU only recorded four hits in the contest.

 Payton Goettsch (Washta, Iowa), Chaydon Metzger (Larchwood, Iowa), Ramirez and Kelley were the four Tigers to tally a hit.

 DWU plays three games today against Embry-Riddle University (Ariz.), Viterbo and Indiana Institute of Technology beginning at 10 a.m. in Tucson, Ariz.