For Immediate Release
April 2, 2008
Extra Innings for Softball Doubleheader
LINCOLN, Neb. — GPAC softball rivals Nebraska Wesleyan and Concordia University needed extra innings to settle both games of the softball doubleheader on Tuesday (Apr. 2) in Lincoln, Neb. NWU scored three runs in the bottom of the 11th inning to outlast the Bulldogs, 7-6, in 11 innings in game one. Concordia came back to score three runs in the top of the eighth inning to take game two, 7-4.
The win in game one gives NWU head softball coach Lance Kingery 122 career victories which ties him with Doug Ahlberg for all-time career victories at NWU.
The Prairie Wolves (8-8, 3-5 GPAC) and Bulldogs (11-5, 3-1) each scored one run in the seventh to tie the score at 3-3. Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth inning so the international tie-breaker went into effect with a runner starting the inning on 2nd base in the 10th inning. Each team scored a run in the 10th, so the game moved to the 11th inning.
Concordia pitcher Sarah Bergen helped herself with a two-run single in the top of the 11th to put the Bulldogs up by two. In the bottom of the 11th, NWU did all its damage with two outs. Ashley Tiedgen hit an RBI double to left center, scoring Erin Starkey. Then Klancy Nixon hit the game-winning hit with a two run single scoring Heather Stang and Tiedgen slid in just before the throw to get the win.
Tiedgen (5-3) got the win on the mound allowing four earned runs and eight hits in 11 innings. She struck out six and walked four, while going 2-5 at the plate. Nixon led NWU with three hits and two RBI.
NWU trailed 3-0 after three innings in game two, but scored one run in the fourth and two in the fifth and trailed just 4-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, the Prairie Wolves led of with back-to-back singles. Both runners then stole a base to put runners on second and third with no outs. NWU did not get a hit the rest of the inning, but Stang did score on a wild pitch to tie the game at 4-4.
Neither team scored in the seventh, although NWU threatened. Kelsey Worley hit a two-out double that went off the fence. Pinch-runner Desi Jones then tried to score the winning run after a single by Starkey, but she was thrown out at home plate by the right fielder.
Amanda Huckestein had a three-run double in the eighth to seal the win for Concordia. Huckestein also picked up the win on the mound allowing one earned run in 3 1/3 innings of relief work.
Alysia Wittmaack took the loss for NWU allowing seven runs on 10 hits in seven innings. She did strike out six and walk none in the loss.
Kelsey Worley was a perfect 4-4 at the plate for NWU with a double. Nixon, Starkey, Jacques and Stang each had two hits as the Prairie Wolves out hit Concordia 16-10.
Nebraska Wesleyan travels to Grinnell, Iowa this weekend for the Grinnell College Tournament. NWU will play two games on Friday and Saturday, then return home to face Buena Vista University on Sunday (April 6) at 1 pm.
Nebraska Wesleyan will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., this Saturday (Feb. 16) to face the University of Sioux Falls at the Stewart Center at 2 p.m.
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