After dropping their first seven games of the season, the Nebraska Wesleyan softball team needed extra innings of their final spring break trip game to pull off the first win of the season. NWU defeated Taylor University, 5-4, in eight innings to complete their trip with a 1-7 record.

The Prairie Wolves opened the season with eight games at the National Training Center in Clermont, Florida against stiff NAIA competition. NWU faced No. 3 Oklahoma City, unbeaten SCAD Savannah, Mount Vernon Nazarene and Taylor three times.

In the final game against Taylor on Mar. 22, NWU trailed 4-0 after four innings of play. In the top of the fifth, Sarah Hove hit a 2-run double to pull NWU within two at 4-2.

The very next inning, Ashalla Dyer and Megan Tieken had back-to-back singles. Kayla Randel then hit a game-tying two run single to left field to even the score at 4-4. The game remained tied after seven innings forcing extra innings.

The tie-breaker rule was in effect as Dani Bryant was placed on second base. She moved over to third on a sacrifice by Tieken, then with two outs she scored on a wild pitch.

Pitcher Megan Cottier did not allow a run in the bottom of the eighth as NWU held on for the victory. Cottier got her first collegiate victory allowing three earned runs in eight innings with four strikeouts.

Six different players recorded a hit for NWU with Randel and Hove each having two RBI.

Nebraska Wesleyan opens Great Plains Athletic Conference play on Tuesday (Mar. 27) when they travel to Hastings, Neb., to face the Broncos in a doubleheader.