Mitchell, S.D. –
The Dakota Wesleyan softball hosted their second home game in three days, this time against the Morningside Mustangs. The Tigers battled windy conditions, with gusts upward of nearing 30 mph. Game one was a close battle after the first inning, with Morningside holding a 3-2 lead over DWU. The Tigers first run came off a wild pitch with Alyssa Burke stepping on home plate. With Peyton Bagley on third base after the wild pitch, Jaden Warner singled through the right side and got herself an RBI as Bagley came home.
Keirstyn Krcil started in the circle in game one and would surrender eight runs in 2.2 innings. Grace Ortmeier would come in as the next pitcher for the Tigers to close out the game. The rest of the Tigers runs came in the third, fourth and sixth innings. Nora Nelson homered of the left field fence in the third to get the crowd going. In the fourth inning, Bagley doubled down the left field line, this hit allowed McKinney Mull to get home. The final run for the Tigers came in the sixth inning. Mull doubled deep into left center, with the wind helping the ball avoid the outfielder. During the next at bat, Mull would steal third and get into scoring position. Sophie Wietzema pinched hit, looking to add a spark to the Tigers and she did just that as she reached first on an error, and this gave McKinnely the chance to get home. Unfortunately for DWU, Morningside's bats were able to connect with more balls as the Mustangs won game one 13-5.
In the second match up, Ivy Woolwine started game two in the circle for the Tigers. This time in the first inning, the Tigers would come out with the lead 2-1. Brianna Dawson singled up the middle, getting the ball past the second baseman and Head Coach Tommy Downs sent Mull home. Bagley stepped up and dropped a bunt to make it to first on an error by the pitcher. As Peyton slid into the bag, she was clotheslined by the first baseman, allowing her to get to second on obstruction and in the chaos, Dawson scampered across home plate. Morningside put up one run in each of the first four innings, taking the lead 4-3 after the fourth with the Tigers third run being from a Dawson single that gave Mull the scoring opportunity.
Trailing now, the Tigers needed to score some runs in a big way. With bases loaded and only one out, Warner singled through the right side. Jordyn Blogg and Elle Feser came across home with ease, and while the Mustangs tried to contain Warner, Mull tried to get a third run in but was out at the dish by the catcher. Warner would score the third run in the inning after Bagley doubled straight up the center.
With a 6-4 lead, the Tigers only needed three out in the seventh inning to get the win. Morningside would score just enough runs to force the game into extra innings after some deep shots. With the game going into the eighth inning, the Tigers had to keep Morningside off the board. Mull and Warner converted a double play to end the top of the eighth. The first two Tigers would strike out, leaving Dawson with little to work with. She came in clutch and got a base hit past the pitcher and the second baseman to get the winning run-on base. Jaden Warner made it on base after an error by the short stop and put Dawson at second. A wild pitch put Dawson on third and Warner on second. Bagley fouled her first pitch in her at bat, but would smoke the next pitch up the middle to walk off game two and give DWU their first conference win of the season. This was the first time the Tigers have beaten the Mustangs since the 2018-19 season where the Tigers won 3-2.
Quick Stats
GAME 1 –
Hitters –
Nora Nelson 2 for 4, 1 HR, 1 RBI
Peyton Bagley 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Monique Gomez 2 for 3
Pitchers –
Grace Ortmeier 3.1 innings, 6 BB, 5 H, 5 ER
GAME 2 –
Hitters –
Brianna Dawson 3 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI
Peyton Bagley 2 for 4, 2 RBI
McKinnely Mull 1 for 4, 2 R, 2 RBI
Pitchers –
Ivy Woolwine 8.0 innings, 3 K, 6 ER, 12 H