MANKATO, Minn. (February 19, 2022) – The Nebraska Wesleyan softball team won its first two games of the 2022 season at the Mankato Dome Tournament in Mankato, Minnesota. NWU cruised past the University of Wisconsin-Stout in game one, 8-2, then won game two, 2-1, over St. Olaf College. The 2-0 start is the best by the Prairie Wolves since the 2019 season.

Game One Recap
NWU didn't need to shake off too much rust from the offseason with three runs in the first three innings. Addison Duranski's double scored Sydney Nickerson then Duranski scored off of a single from Hanna Roth for a two-run second inning. An inning later, Val Gerlach drove in Emma Alfieri with a single to right-center field. 

UWS put a run up in the fourth inning but the Prairie Wolves added to their lead in the fifth when Emma Alfieri scored on an error. Later in the inning, Kailey Meyer plated Gerlach with a single. 

After the Blue Devils got a run on the board in the bottom of the fifth, Hanna Roth slammed a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning. The following inning, NWU added an insurance run when Bre Schneidewind scored on a sacrifice fly from Duranski. 

Game Two Recap
Nebraska Wesleyan's pitching was on display in game two. NWU scored a run in the first inning off a Val Gerlach single that plated Hanna Roth. The next inning, Addison Duranski doubled which allowed Kailey Meyer to score. 

The two scores were enough run support for Kailey Meyer in the circle. Meyer tossed a complete game, surrendering just one run on four hits with only two walks and six strikeouts. Meyer set up NWU's defense to record 11 groundouts in the victory.

UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan plays a pair of early games tomorrow morning with game one against St. Catherine University at 7 a.m. in Mankato, Minnesota.