Posted: Apr 30, 2013
Warrior Softball Splits with Dakota Wesleyan
Mitchell, S.D. – Midland University softball split with Dakota Wesleyan University on Monday. After an 11-0 win in game one, the Warriors dropped game two, 5-4. The split comes in the final games before conference postseason play.
"We had an outstanding all-around effort in game one," said Keith Kramme, Midland University softball head coach. " We pushed several runs across with two outs which was great to see. In game two we missed some scoring opportunities early and then found ourselves playing catch up. We had the go ahead run on first in the seventh inning but just couldn't get another timely hit. Now we have our sights set on the conference tournament and we are looking forward to playing for a chance to get back to the National Tournament."
Midland opened the game's scoring in the first inning as Sarah Leimser singled to advance Jennie Sayker to third, and then Sayker was plated on a throwing error. Leimser then scored off of a Sammy Hislop double to put Midland up, 2-0. The Warriors scored two more runs in the third, and in the fifth, a Liz Spooner three run homerun gave Midland a 7-0 advantage. In the top of the seventh inning the Warriors came up big with four runs to cap off the victory. The inning was kicked off by a Kourtney Wallick double to score Matti Petersen. Sayker also doubled to plate Spooner. The scoring was finished after Nicole Andrews batted in Wallick and the Midland defense came up with a big stop in the bottom of the seventh to leave the Tigers scoreless.
Sammy Hislop shut out the Tigers, going the distance from the circle with 13 strikeouts and only three hits. Hislop also finished 2-for-3 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Kourtney Wallick was also 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Nicole Andrews went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs, while Jennie Sayker was 1-for-3 with one RBI and three runs. Liz Spooner went 1-for-1 in the contest with three RBIs and one homerun.
After two scoreless innings Dakota Wesleyan got on the board in the bottom of third plating three runs. Midland hit back in the fifth inning as a Sarah Leimser sacrifice fly scored Jennie Sayker and advanced Nicole Andrews to third. On the following at bat, Liz Spooner doubled and scored Andrews to cut the Warrior deficit to 3-2. However, the Tigers answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Midland threatened in the top of the seventh as Matti Petersen plated Liz Spooner and Nicole Andrews to leave the Warriors trailing only by one, 5-4, but Dakota Wesleyan picked up the final out of the contest with Petersen and Emily Kmiecik left on base.
Liz Spooner went 2-for-3 from the plate with one run and one RBI. Nicole Andrews was 2-for-4 with two runs, while Sarah Leimser went 1-for-2 with one RBI. Leimser found the loss from the circle after giving up five runs on five hits in 4 and 1/3 innings. Sammy Hislop did not give up a run in 1 and 2/3 innings of relief.
Midland University finishes the regular season 13-7 in the GPAC and 19-20 on the season. The Warriors will open competition in the GPAC Postseason Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, May 2. Official tournament seeding and pairings are yet to be released.
"We had an outstanding all-around effort in game one," said Keith Kramme, Midland University softball head coach. " We pushed several runs across with two outs which was great to see. In game two we missed some scoring opportunities early and then found ourselves playing catch up. We had the go ahead run on first in the seventh inning but just couldn't get another timely hit. Now we have our sights set on the conference tournament and we are looking forward to playing for a chance to get back to the National Tournament."
Midland opened the game's scoring in the first inning as Sarah Leimser singled to advance Jennie Sayker to third, and then Sayker was plated on a throwing error. Leimser then scored off of a Sammy Hislop double to put Midland up, 2-0. The Warriors scored two more runs in the third, and in the fifth, a Liz Spooner three run homerun gave Midland a 7-0 advantage. In the top of the seventh inning the Warriors came up big with four runs to cap off the victory. The inning was kicked off by a Kourtney Wallick double to score Matti Petersen. Sayker also doubled to plate Spooner. The scoring was finished after Nicole Andrews batted in Wallick and the Midland defense came up with a big stop in the bottom of the seventh to leave the Tigers scoreless.
Sammy Hislop shut out the Tigers, going the distance from the circle with 13 strikeouts and only three hits. Hislop also finished 2-for-3 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Kourtney Wallick was also 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Nicole Andrews went 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs, while Jennie Sayker was 1-for-3 with one RBI and three runs. Liz Spooner went 1-for-1 in the contest with three RBIs and one homerun.
After two scoreless innings Dakota Wesleyan got on the board in the bottom of third plating three runs. Midland hit back in the fifth inning as a Sarah Leimser sacrifice fly scored Jennie Sayker and advanced Nicole Andrews to third. On the following at bat, Liz Spooner doubled and scored Andrews to cut the Warrior deficit to 3-2. However, the Tigers answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Midland threatened in the top of the seventh as Matti Petersen plated Liz Spooner and Nicole Andrews to leave the Warriors trailing only by one, 5-4, but Dakota Wesleyan picked up the final out of the contest with Petersen and Emily Kmiecik left on base.
Liz Spooner went 2-for-3 from the plate with one run and one RBI. Nicole Andrews was 2-for-4 with two runs, while Sarah Leimser went 1-for-2 with one RBI. Leimser found the loss from the circle after giving up five runs on five hits in 4 and 1/3 innings. Sammy Hislop did not give up a run in 1 and 2/3 innings of relief.
Midland University finishes the regular season 13-7 in the GPAC and 19-20 on the season. The Warriors will open competition in the GPAC Postseason Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa, on Thursday, May 2. Official tournament seeding and pairings are yet to be released.