TIGER SOFTBALL STRIKES OUT IN MINOT TO OPEN THE SEASON

Minot, N.D. – Dakota Wesleyan softball drops two from the Minot dome to open the 2022 season. The Tigers stranded nine runners on base between the two games.

The Quick Details

Game One

DWU 0 – UMC 1

Game Two

DWU 1 – MSU 9 (Five Innings)

How It Happened

Game One

• The Tigers fell behind early in the season opener against Minnesota Crookston after a Golden Eagles home run in the bottom of the first inning.
• DWU responded in the top of the second, placing Nora Nelson on first after a single to center field.
• Megan Daffern stepped to the plate with two-out, hitting a single to center field before DWU stranded both runners.
• The Tigers cleaned up in the bottom of the second, going three-up and three-down.
• Dakota Wesleyan left runners on base in the third, fourth, and sixth inning while keeping the Golden Eagles to only a one-run lead.
• Top of the seventh inning, the Tigers had runners on second and third with one out as Peyton Bagley was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
• Alyssa Burke connected on a pitch to reach via fielder's choice, but UMC got the force out at home.
• Aubrey Garbarek hit a line drive to the infield that cut the Tigers' comeback short.
• Overall, DWU left four runners stranded on five hits.
• Nelson went 2-for-2 in game one with one walk.
• Meghan Daffern pitched four innings, allowing four hits and one run, striking out five batters on her 16 batters faced.

Game Two

• In game two from Minot against the Beavers of Minot State, DWU started things off in the field, picking off an MSU runner trying to steal second.
• The Tigers couldn't get anyone on base through their first two times at the plate.
• The Beavers capitalized on that, scoring four runs on four hits in the bottom of the second inning to go ahead 4-0 over the Tigers.
• DWU struggled to find an answer for MSU as Minot drove across three more runs in the third, then two in the fourth.
• Dakota Wesleyan made a push to cut the Minot State lead in the fifth inning as Raegan Grossi doubled to left field with one out.
• Daffern stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter for Bagley, which turned into a single, driving Grossi across for the first run of the game.
• Burke hit a single to the pitcher, placing Daffern on third with two outs before Garbarek loaded the bases on another single to the pitcher.
• Allison McElveny stepped to the plate with two out and bases loaded as the Tigers looked to cut the lead even more.
• Stranding three runners on base, McElveny flew out to the right-field as Minot grabbed the win 9-1 in five innings.
• In game two, Dakota Wesleyan stranded five runners on base.
• Grossi went 2-for-2 with a double and a run
• Daffern was 1-for-1 with an RBI
• Tava Boone was hit with the loss against Minot, pitching four innings, allowing 11 hits, nine runs, one walk, and four strikeouts.

Up Next

Dakota Wesleyan softball is back in action tomorrow afternoon for games three and four in the Minot Bubble. The Tigers' first game tomorrow will begin at 9 a.m. as they take on the University of Mary. DWU wraps up play from Minot at 11 a.m. against Valley City State.