MITCHELL, S.D. – For the last four years, Hailey Unger has rewritten the Dakota Wesleyan University softball record books. In her final season as a Tiger, Unger is helping lead a young DWU squad to the best season in program history.
Last week, the Tigers won four conference road games, including two over rival Mount Marty College and two blowouts against a Concordia University team that was receiving votes at the time in the NAIA Coaches Poll.
For her efforts in leading DWU to a perfect week, Unger has been named the Great Plains Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the first time this season, the league announced Tuesday.
In her last six games, Unger has 13 hits from the leadoff position, while catching all six victories. In the four DWU wins last week, Unger pounded out eight hits, including four home runs, while knocking in six runs, stealing three bases and scoring nine runs.
Unger is batting a robust .398 in 2016, with 49 hits, 11 doubles, four home runs, 16 RBIs, 18 walks and eight stolen bases in 2016. She has struck out just eight times in 123 at bats, while reaching base at a .479 clip.
Unger is already the DWU career leader in runs (100), doubles (36), home runs (18) and RBIs (101), and she is chasing down the career record for hits. With three hits in the second game against Concordia, Unger tied the DWU career mark for hits held by Nicole Haley (2009-12) at 166, leaving her one shy of breaking the school mark.
After being picked to finish last in the GPAC this season, the Tigers sit alone in third place with four games to play. DWU continues GPAC play against Northwestern College at 5 p.m. tonight in Orange City, Iowa.