COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Nebraska Wesleyan opened its Spring Break trip in impressive fashion Sunday, riding strong pitching performances and timely hitting to sweep a doubleheader at the Space Coast Games.
The Prairie Wolves defeated Monmouth (Illinois) 14-0 in six innings in the afternoon opener before knocking off Marietta 5-1 in the nightcap at Fast Pitch Stadium at the USSSA Space Coast Complex. The sweep pushed Nebraska Wesleyan to 4-2 on the season, all coming at neutral sites.
Senior infielder Jenna Kimberling and freshman infielder Stella Campin led the way for the Prairie Wolves. Kimberling continued her steady offensive presence while Campin delivered the biggest swing of the day, a three-run home run to left field in the fourth inning of the second game, the first homer of her collegiate career and the first for Nebraska Wesleyan this season.
While the final scores suggested comfortable wins, both games required strong performances in the circle and key offensive bursts. Senior Jaedyn Ratzlaff and junior Eva Fahrnbruch each tossed complete games, helping Nebraska Wesleyan limit its opponents to a combined five hits across the two contests.
The Prairie Wolves also avenged last season's result against Marietta at the same tournament, when the Pioneers handed Nebraska Wesleyan a 7-2 defeat.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 - Nebraska Wesleyan 14, Monmouth (Ill.) 0 (6 innings)
Nebraska Wesleyan wasted little time establishing momentum in the opener.
The Prairie Wolves struck first in the top of the first inning when Addyson Maxwell delivered an RBI single to bring home Jenna Kimberling and give Nebraska Wesleyan a 1-0 lead. Maxwell's hit set the tone for a productive afternoon at the plate for the Prairie Wolves.
After a quiet second inning, Nebraska Wesleyan broke the game open in the third with a five-run rally. Kimberling sparked the inning with an RBI hit before Maxwell followed with a two-run single that stretched the lead further. Rachel Rhoades and Paige Comstock each added RBI contributions during the inning as the Prairie Wolves pushed their advantage to 6-0.
Nebraska Wesleyan continued to apply pressure in the fifth inning. Kylie Fullerton added another run with an RBI single, extending the lead to 7-0 and putting the Prairie Wolves firmly in control.
The decisive moment came in the sixth inning when Nebraska Wesleyan erupted for a seven-run frame. The Prairie Wolves capitalized on timely hits and aggressive baserunning to double their lead. Kenzie Heedum drove in Katie Hansen with an RBI single early in the inning after Hansen reached on a walk, and Nebraska Wesleyan continued to pile on runs before the inning concluded.
By the time the dust settled, the Prairie Wolves had collected 14 hits while Monmouth managed just two.
Nearly every spot in the Nebraska Wesleyan lineup contributed. Kimberling, Catie Ingalls, Maxwell, Heedum, Taylor Korecky, Lexus Hill, Fullerton, Campin, Hansen and Ella Wolff each recorded at least one hit in the contest.
Kimberling's day also carried a career milestone. The senior made her 119th career start and now sits above the 100-hit mark for her career.
In the circle, Ratzlaff delivered a dominant performance. The senior right-hander tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits while striking out two and walking one. She kept the Scots off balance throughout the afternoon and induced several routine outs to preserve the shutout.
Pitchers
W: Jaedyn Ratzlaff (1-0). L: Addie Greene (Monmouth).
Game 2 - Nebraska Wesleyan 5, Marietta 1
The second game proved more tightly contested early before Nebraska Wesleyan's offense struck in the middle innings.
Both teams were scoreless through the first three innings as pitchers Eva Fahrnbruch and Marietta starter Walters traded zeros.
The turning point came in the top of the fourth inning.
Maxwell and Fahrnbruch each reached base with one out to set the stage for Campin. The freshman first baseman stepped to the plate and delivered the biggest swing of the day, launching a three-run home run to left field. The blast gave Nebraska Wesleyan a 3-0 lead and marked the first home run of Campin's collegiate career. The Prairie Wolves added insurance runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 5-0.
Marietta managed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning, but Fahrnbruch quickly settled back in and kept the Pioneers from mounting any further threat.
Fahrnbruch pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out two and issuing no walks. The outing was particularly meaningful for the junior, who started for Nebraska Wesleyan in last year's loss to Marietta at the same tournament. This time, she delivered a commanding response.
Maxwell continued her consistent start to the season in the nightcap as well, finishing 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI. The sophomore extended her hit streak to six games, every game of her career as a Prairie Wolf, and has now reached base in all six contests this season. Her reached-base streak matches senior Kenzie Heedum for the longest active streak on the team.
Nebraska Wesleyan finished the game with five hits while holding Marietta to just three. With the win, the Prairie Wolves improved to 3-1 all-time against Monmouth and 2-1 in the all-time series against Marietta.
Pitchers
W: Eva Fahrnbruch (2-1). L: Walters (Marietta).
UP NEXT
Nebraska Wesleyan will look to continue its momentum Monday morning at the Space Coast Games when the Prairie Wolves face Baldwin Wallace. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. at White Rawlings Field at the USSSA Space Coast Complex as Nebraska Wesleyan carries a four-game winning streak into the matchup.
