For the fifth time this season, the Nebraska Wesleyan softball team picked up an extra innings victory as they defeated Northwestern College, 6-5, in eight innings to complete the GPAC doubleheader sweep on Tuesday (Apr. 27) in Orange City, Iowa. NWU won game one, 5-1.
Nebraska Wesleyan (24-8, 15-3 GPAC) got a leadoff single in the eighth by Megan Beckstead followed by a double from Marcia Kennedy to put runners at second and third with no outs. Melissa Blomstedt hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Beckstead with the game-winning run.
Northwestern got their first two batters on in the bottom of the eighth, but Alysia Wittmaack struck out the next two batters then got a ground out to end the game.
The Red Raiders jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game two as they had three hits including a double and two-run home run by Ashley Evans.
NWU scored one in the second on an RBI single by Heather Stang. The Prairie Wolves took the lead with three in the third on RBI singles by Kennedy and Krista Wearden and a RBI double by Lauren Bodfield.
After Northwestern tied the game in the fourth, Kennedy hit a solo home run to put NWU back up by one. A double by Kami Kuhlman tied the game for Northwestern in the fifth and the score would remain tied until the eighth inning.
Alysia Wittmaack came in for the final 3 1/3 innings to pick up the win striking out eight and not allowing a run. Abby Wilmes got the start going 4 2/3 giving up seven hits and five earned runs with six strikeouts. Kennedy was 3-4 with a double, home run and 2 RBI to lead the NWU offense.
Wittmaack pitched another gem in the first game as NWU won 5-1. She scattered seven hits and gave up just one earned run while striking out 10. She improves to 16-2 on the season after the two victories and now is tied for the NWU career victory mark with 37, and the season win mark at 16.
The Prairie Wolves jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning on a three-run home run by Jessica Weingarten. They cruised the rest of the way adding one run each in the fifth and sixth innings.
Weingarten finished 2-4 with three RBI, while Bodfield was 2-4 with a double.
NWU will play its fourth doubleheader in four days on Wednesday (Apr. 28) when they travel to Blair, Neb., to face Dana College.
