Midland University Softball Sweeps Nebraska Wesleyan
Fremont, Neb. – Midland University swept Nebraska Wesleyan University on Tuesday. After earning a 4-3 game-one win, Nicole Andrews caught a deep fly ball and zipped it to second base for both outs to earn a 5-3 victory and complete the sweep.
"We had to work really hard to get the two wins tonight," said Keith Kramme, Midland University softball head coach. "One big inning in each game offensively proved to be just enough. We came up big defensively in both games also."
In the first game, the Prairie Wolves struck first with a run the second inning. The Warriors scored all four of their runs in the fifth inning. Andrews singled to score Liz Spooner and got Midland on the board. Matti Petersen doubled to score Sarah Leimser and Andrews. The final run for Warriors was scored by Petersen on a Sammy Hislop single. Nebraska Wesleyan scored two more runs in the top of the sixth, but Midland held the Prairie Wolves in their last at-bat for the win. Sammy Hislop earned the win pitching seven complete innings, giving up three runs on six hits. Hislop recorded nine strikeouts.
Jennie Sayker went 2-for-4, and Matti Petersen was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and one run scored. Sarah Leimser and Nicole Andrews both went 1-for-3 with one run scored, while Sammy Hislop was 2-for-3 with one RBI.
The Warriors earned another clutch, win in game two, despite all the runs of the contest coming in the first two innings. Nebraska Wesleyan rolled out three runs in the opening inning, but Midland trumped there efforts in the second inning scoring five runs. Emily Kmiecik reached on a fielder's choice to kick off the rally. She then stole second, advanced to third on a Spooner double, and scored on a passed ball. A Rebekka Hammer single would then score Spooner. Hammer advanced to second on a Kayla Ritzdorf walk and then scored from a Jennie Sayker single. A Nicole Andrews double would plate Sayker and K. Ritzdorf to make the score 5-3 after two innings complete, which would also be the final score of the contest. In the top of the seventh with one runner on second a deep fly ball to right-center threatened to tie up the contest but Andrews made an impressive catch followed by throwing the runner who failed to tag up out.
Sarah Leimser picked up the win from the circle after allowing three runs with one strikeout in seven complete innings. Matti Petersen was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, while Jennie Sayker went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Nicole Andrews went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, and Rebekka Hammer was 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run. Spooner and K. Ritzdorf also recorded a run.
Midland University is 7-5 in the GPAC and 13-18 on the season. Nebraska Wesleyan is now 5-7 in GPAC competitions and 10-13 overall. The Warriors will host Doane College on Wednesday, April 17thif weather is permitting. The doubleheader is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.