Softball splits opening day matchups
ABERDEEN, S.D. – The 2021 season began for the Dakota Wesleyan University softball team as they split their games. DWU defeated host school Presentation College 14-6, but dropped the second game of the day to University of Jamestown 8-6 at the PC Dome Classic on Friday in Aberdeen, S.D.
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamestown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 |
| Dakota Wesleyan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Wesleyan | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 1 |
| Presentation | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
ABERDEEN, S.D. – The 2021 season began for the Dakota Wesleyan University softball team as they split their games. DWU defeated host school Presentation College 14-6, but dropped the second game of the day to University of Jamestown 8-6 at the PC Dome Classic on Friday in Aberdeen, S.D.
In the opening game of the season, the Tigers (1-1) jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage after an Alyssa Garcia (L.A. Verne, Calif.) sac fly brought Alyssa Burke (Rapid City, S.D.) home. However, the lead did not last long as the Saints tied the game in the bottom half of the frame.
PC took its first lead of the ballgame after a pair of runs in the second inning gave them a 3-1 lead. The Tigers made sure to regain the lead as they added three runs in the top half of the third inning. Garcia smacked a two-run double to center field to tie the game. A few batters later, Garcia scored following a PC error to give DWU a 4-3 lead.
The Tigers erupted for 10 runs in the fourth frame to take a commanding lead. Garcia came through again as she nailed a two-run homerun over the left-field fence. Moments later, Reagan Grossi (Vail, Ariz.) smacked a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Adrianna Thomason (Las Vegas, Nev.) home. The Tigers continued to put the pressure on as they led 14-3 after the top half of the frame.
The Saints added three runs over the next two innings, but it was not enough as the game finished after five innings with the Tigers coming away with a 14-6 win.
In the second game of the day, DWU jumped out to another early lead after a pair of runs through the first two innings. After Burke made quick work of the Jimmies in the top half of the first inning, she scored in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a Garcia single.
Burke struck out two of the three batters she faced in the next frame, while Alexys Durham (Rapid City, S.D.) scored in the bottom half of the inning to push the Tiger lead to two runs.
Jamestown took its first lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning after five runs scored. However, DWU responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Haley Linke (Mitchell, S.D.) knocked a two-run double to start the scoring. Moments later, Grossi hit an RBI single that brought Linke home.
But the lead did not last long as Jamestown recorded a run in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game. The Tigers were unable to prevent the Jimmie comeback as Jamestown tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh inning to steal the game.
On the day, Garcia finished 5-for-5 with six RBIs, three runs scored and a homerun. Senior Stephanie Gabel (Sioux Falls, S.D.) went 2-for-7 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Linke went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs scored.
On the mound, Kyllie Ramirez (Revillo, S.D.) picked up the win in the first game after pitching three frames, striking out one batter. Devany Farris (Cheyenne, Wyo.) was tagged with the loss after she pitched two innings and struck out one batter, while Burke opened the second game with six strikeouts through five frames.
The Tigers return to the diamond against Valley City State University and Dordt University at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. tomorrow in Aberdeen, S.D.
