LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska Wesleyan pounded out 23 hits in their home opening doubleheader against York College at University Place Park but managed only a split on Tuesday night (Mar. 15).  NWU won game one, 8-3, but dropped the nightcap 4-3.

After York College opened the doubleheader with a leadoff home run, the Prairie Wolves scored seven straight unanswered runs to pull away in the first game of the night.

NWU scored one run in the bottom of the 1st as Rachel Kubik drove in Kassie Knauss with a single.  Three extra base hits provided a big 2nd inning for the Prairie Wolves. Nicole Vana and Knauss both doubled, and Kubik drove in two more runs with a triple over the right fielders head.  Maddy Ethen drove in two runs with a single as well.

The Prairie Wolves added two more runs in the 4th as Betsy Reimer doubled and scored on an error.  Knauss scored her third run of the game on a single by Madi Francis.

York added a 2-run home run in the 6th to make the score 7-3, but that is all they could get.  Knauss singled and pinch runner Kaley Stokey scored in the 6th to close out the NWU scoring.

Nebraska Wesleyan finished with 11 hits in the game, including four doubles and a triple.  Knauss was 3-4 with three runs scored and a pair of doubles.  Kubik finished 2-4 with three RBI, while Maddy Ethen was 2-3 with two RBI.

Marisa Garver improved to 5-1 in the season with the complete game victory on the mound.  She allowed three earned runs on six hits with two strikouts.

Game two also got off to a rough start for the Prairie Wolves as York opened up with a 2-0 lead.  The Panthers doubled on the first pitch of the game and took advantage of two errors to jump ahead.

NWU cut the lead in half as Betsy Reimer singled to start the inning and scored on a single by Madi Francis.  The Prairie Wolves tied the game at 2-2 in the 4th inning.  Nicole Vana singled up the middle to drive in Jordan Arndt with the tying run.

York went back up with one run in the 5th and another in the 6th inning.

NWU had plenty of chances to answer back but couldn't get the big hit.  Hunter Bailey drilled an RBI double past the first baseman to drive in Vana in the 6th inning and Bailey advanced to third base on the throw home.  However, she would be stranded their with no outs as NWU wasn't able to advance her 90 feet

In the 7th inning, NWU got the first two runners on base and advanced a runner to third base but back to back strike outs ended the game.

The Prairie Wolves stranded 12 runners on base in the nightcap, including a runner at third base in each of the last three innings.

NWU did outhit York 12-8, but four errors on defense were costly.  Claire Poppe took the loss on the mound allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts.

Reimer, Francis, Vana and Bailey all had two hits to lead the NWU offense.

Nebraska Wesleyan begins GPAC play this weekend on the road at Dordt College.