MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team opened the 2016 Great plains Athletic Conference season with a sweep of Briar Cliff University Tuesday at McWhirter Field in Mitchell, S.D.
The Tigers used strong starting pitching and powerful hitting on a windy day to open the conference season with a pair of wins. In game one, freshman pitcher Sierra Haage (Sioux Falls, S.D.) allowed just one hit and hit a home run at the plate to lead DWU to a 6-0 victory. Senior Vanessa Mendez (Monterey Park, Calif.) blasted a grand slam in the first inning of the second game as the Tigers cruised to an 8-2 win.
The wins push DWU to 17-11 overall and 2-0 in the GPAC, as the Tigers have tied the second most wins in school history with over a month left in the season.
Haage, the newly crowned GPAC Pitcher of the Week, was untouchable, allowing a lone slap single down the third-base line to the Chargers. She went all seven innings, giving up just one walk and striking out a career-best 11 batters. At the plate, Haage added her fourth home run of the season.
Freshman Katelyne Dougherty (Maui, Hawaii) was all over the bases for DWU in game one, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Sophomore Paige Kinley (Worthington, Minn.) also went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
The Tigers totaled six runs on 11 hits with one error in the win.
In game two, freshman Hallie Misiaszek (Mitchell, S.D.) was strong, going seven innings, allowing two runs, one earned on three hits, while walking one and striking out four. DWU gave Misiaszek more than she needed with six runs in the first, including the grand slam from Mendez, who went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
Freshman Savannah Ahumada (Turlock, Calif.) was 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while senior Hailey Unger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and Misiaszek each added two hits. DWU finished with eight runs on 10 hits and two errors to complete the sweep.
DWU plays Presentation College in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Thursday in Aberdeen, S.D.
