Tigers drop two at Doane

CRETE, Neb.– A day after playing Hastings College in a pair of matchups, the Dakota Wesleyan University softball team took on Doane University in a Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader and dropped both games on Saturday in Crete, Neb.

 DWU fell in the opening game by a score of 5-1. In the opening inning Nora Nelson (Rapid City, S.D.) knocked a run home to score the first run of the game and put the Tigers on the scoreboard.

 Doane tied the game in the bottom of the second frame after a solo-shot homerun. One inning later, Doane (22-21, 9-9 GPAC) took a 2-1 lead after a sacrifice fly. They extended their lead in the bottom of the following inning after three more runs to hold a 5-1 advantage.

 Neither team added another run as Doane secured the opening-game victory over DWU.

 Nelson finished 1-for-3 with an RBI at the plate, while Haley Linke (Mitchell, S.D.) went 2-for-3 in the contest. Meghan Daffern (Tehachapi, Calif.) was tabbed with the loss on the mound after pitching six innings and striking out one batter.

 In game two, the Tigers of Dakota Wesleyan (9-21, 1-13 GPAC) struggled to find offense. It wasn't until the third inning until either team scored a run. Doane recorded a two-run single followed by an RBI single as they held a 3-0 lead.

 After the first three batters struck out and grounded out in the top of the fourth, Doane took advantage and added five runs in the bottom half of the frame. After a two-run double to begin the scoring, Doane added three more runs to hold an 8-0 lead.

 In the top of the fifth inning, the three batters were out as DWU dropped the second game to Doane.

 The Tigers did not record a hit in the second game, as Alyssa Burke (Rapid City, S.D.) pitched 3.2 innings and walked two batters.

 DWU takes on the University of Jamestown for another GPAC doubleheader at 3 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday in Jamestown, N.D.