LINCOLN, Neb. -- For the second consecutive doubleheader, the Nebraska Wesleyan softball team handed a conference opponent their first GPAC loss of the season as the Prairie Wolves shutout Hastings College, 4-0, in game two on Friday night (Apr. 3) at University Place Park. The Broncos defeated NWU 9-4 in the first game of the night.
Nebraska Wesleyan (10-12, 3-3 GPAC) also handed Doane their first conference loss on Wednesday night. NWU jumped ahead 1-0 in the 1st inning of game one as
Jordan Arndt singled to drive in
Betsy Reimer.
Neither team scored again until the 5th inning when the Prairie Wolves took advantage of some defensive miscues from the Broncos.Â
Nicole Belfiore singled to open the inning then moved to second on a passed ball. The next batter Kassie Knaus hit a grounder to the pitcher who made a bad throw to first base allowing Knauss to move to third and Belfiore to score. Another error on a bunt attempt from
Nicole Vana allowed Knauss to score. Vana would then come around and score on a wild pitch to put NWU ahead 4-0.
Those four runs were enough for Prairie Wolves senior pitcher
Megan Cottier who got the complete game shutout victory. Cottier scattered seven hits and struck out two batters to improve to 4-6 on the year.Â
Betsy Reimer led the NWU offense going 2-2 at the plate with a run.Â
Game one looked promising for the Prairie Wolves early as they led 3-0 after four innings. NWU got all three runs in the 3rd inning as Belfiore had an RBI single and
Hunter Bailey drove in two runs with a single right back up the middle.
Hastings erupted for five runs in the top of the 5th inning to take a 5-3 lead. The Broncos came back with four more runs in the 6th inning as they pulled away for good.
The Broncos finished with 16 total hits in the game as seven of the nine batters had a hit.Â
Marisa Garver took the loss for NWU allowing five runs and 11 hits.Â
Claire Poppe came in for relief in the 6th inning, but did not record an out while giving up five hits and four runs. Garver re-entered to complete the game.
Madi Francis was a perfect 3-3 at the plate, while Belfiore and Bailey each had two hits.
