Mankato, MN - Nebraska Wesleyan softball dropped a pair of one run games on day one of the Bethany Kwik Trip Invitational, Saturday.
NWU vs SAINT MARY'S
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska Wesleyan opened its season with a 2-1 loss to #5 Saint Mary's University. The Prairie Wolves started strong offensively, as
Taylor Korecky reached first on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on an error, while
Kenzie Heedum scored from second on the play to put NWU ahead 1-0 in the first inning. However the bats would go silent as the Black and Gold failed to muster much offense over the next five innings. The Prairie Wolf defense, anchored by pitcher
Eva Fahrnbruch, was almost equally stout, allowing just two earned runs in six innings of work. Trailing by one entering the seventh, NWU needed to rally and turned to pinch hitter
Addyson Maxwell to provide a spark. Maxwell delivered a two out double and advanced to third on an
Ella Wolff single. However, the Prairie Wolves were unable to score the tying run as Saint Mary's secured the final out.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Eva Fahrnbruch (P, 0-1) - 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 SO, 2 BB
Kenzie Heedum (CF) - 1-3, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB
Stella Campin (1B) - 1-3, 1 H
Ella Wolff (SS) - 1-3
Addyson Maxwell (RF) - 1-1
NWU vs ST. CATHERINE
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nebraska Wesleyan's second game of the day was a total opposite of its first as the Prairie Wolves and Wildcats combined for 15 runs and 20 hits as St. Catherine claimed an 8-7 victory in eight innings. The Wildcats started fast scoring a run in the first inning. NWU would answer with three runs in the third inning as
Jenna Kimberling drove in two RBIs on a two out single to left field that scored
Kenzie Heedum and
Catie Ingalls and put the Black and Gold ahead 2-1. Kimberling would go on to score on an
Eva Fahrnbruch single. From there, St. Catherine took control of the game, scoring five runs over the course of the fifth and sixth innings to pull ahead 6-3. Down to their final three outs, Nebraska Wesleyan turned it on, as
Kenzie Heedum reached first on a fielder's choice before advancing to second on a
Taylor Korecky single. Both Heedum and Korecky would score on a
Jenna Kimberling triple which cut the Wildcat lead to one. After a pop out,
Eva Fahrnbruch represented NWU's final chance. Fahrnbruch would hit the ball to the Wildcat third basemen, but an error allowed
Jenna Kimberling to score and tie the game at six and send it to extra innings. St. Catherine retook the lead with a two run top half and got two outs before
Kenzie Heedum drove in
Brynn Baily to cut the deficit to one. Nebraska Wesleyan would fail to score the game tying run as St. Catherine walked away with an 8-7 victory.Â
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Lexus Hill (P, 0-1) - 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 SO, 1 BB
Kenzie Heedum (CF) - 2-5, 2 H, 2 R, 1 RBI
Jenna Kimberling (2B) - 2-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB
Addyson Maxwell (RF) - 2-4, 2 H
Taylor Korecky (LF) - 1-5, 1 H, 1 R
Eva Fahrnbruch (3B) - 1-4, 1 H, 2 RBI
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan will remain in Mankato to play Hamline and Gustavus Adolphus on Sunday, February 15th.Â
