WAVERLY, Iowa (May 14, 2021) - The sixth-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan softball team (15-19) defeated third-seeded Central College (18-14), 9-4, to advance to the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Softball Championship series. It is the first time that the Prairie Wolves have advanced to the conference championship series since joining the A-R-C. The win also extends NWU's winning streak to four games. 

Nebraska Wesleyan broke a scoreless tie with three runs in the third inning. Mollie Grant got caught in a rundown going to second base but it allowed Sydney Nickerson to score from third. Three batters later, Taylor Styskal cleaned up the bases with a two-run triple. 

In the fifth inning, the Prairie Wolves struck again with four runs. Grant hit a single down the right-field line to score Nickerson for the inning's first score. Kailey Meyer then added three more runs to the frame with a home run, Meyer's third of the season.

NWU's offensive display carried over into the sixth inning. Grant cranked her first home run of the season, which was a two-run shot, to make it 9-0 after six and half innings. The Dutch made it interesting with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and another run in the seventh before the Prairie Wolves got out of the inning and clinched the berth in the final series.

Mollie Grant and Sydney Nickerson both went 3-for-3 and combined for four runs scored with three RBIs on the afternoon. Taylor Styskal also added three hits as Emma Alfieri recorded two hits. Meyer led NWU with three RBIs; Meyer also picked up the complete-game win in the circle with five strikeouts.

What's Next
Nebraska Wesleyan plays Luther College in the best-of-three championship series. Game one is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.