SEWARD, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team outscored Concordia University (RV) 24-2 in a pair of five inning wins, sweeping a Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader from the Bulldogs Saturday in Seward, Neb.
The Tigers hit four home runs in a 12-2 win in game one and two more in 12-0 victory in the finale. DWU has hit 12 over the fence in its last four games, and with 34, the Tigers have set a new record for home runs as a team in a season.
The wins push DWU, winners of six straight, to 29-17 overall and 12-6 in the GPAC. The Tigers sit in third place in the GPAC with four games left, three behind Doane College (22-9, 11-3 GPAC) for second place. The top two teams host the opening round of the conference tournament.
Game one started with Concordia hitting a two-run home run in the first inning. That is all the Bulldogs scored on the day. DWU quickly responded with three in the second and another three in the fifth pushed the Tigers ahead 7-2. Five runs in the fifth ended the game early DWU continued its recent power surge.
Freshman Karly Severance (Las Vegas, Nev.) had a breakout day with two home runs, four RBIs, while senior Hailey Unger (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) and freshman Sierra Haage (Sioux Falls, S.D.) each added a blast of their own. Senior outfielder Katy Lazenby (Mitchell, S.D.) finished with two hits, two RBIs and a run scored.
The win went to freshman pitcher Hallie Misiaszek (Mitchell, S.D.), who tossed five innings, allowing two runs on nine hits, while walking three and striking out three. Misiaszek is 11-5 this season.
In game two, the 1-2-3 hitters for DWU hit a combined 9-of-11 with eight RBIs. Unger finished game two with three hits to bring her to 166 in her career, tying her with Nicole Haley (2009-12) at the top of the DWU all-time list. Unger's home run was her fourth of the season, all in the last four games.
Lazenby added three hits, including a double and two RBIs, while freshman Savannah Ahumada (Turlock, Calif.) continued her record-breaking debut season. Ahumada, who already held the DWU records for hits, runs and RBIs in a season coming into Saturday, broke two more marks against the Bulldogs. Her three-run home run in the fifth inning was her ninth of the season, snapping the previous Tiger record, while her first inning double set a new standard in that category at 18.
Haage (12-6) got the win for DWU, going five innings, allowing no runs on two hits, while walking one and striking out three.
The Tigers continue their road tour of the GPAC with a doubleheader against Northwestern College at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Orange City, Iowa.