LINCOLN, Neb. --- Softball (18-8, 3-1 A-R-C) split its American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) doubleheader against Nebraska Wesleyan University (9-13, 1-1 A-R-C) on Friday, Apr. 3. The Knights fell in game one 14-9 before earning a 10-3 win in the nightcap.
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Katelyn Klever helped lead Wartburg to a game two win after tallying two doubles with four RBI as well as pitching a complete game in the circle. The Knights tallied 19 runs and 20 hits over both games today. Â
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Game Summary
- Game One
- First Inning
- The Knights were first on the scoreboard in game one as base hits from both Addy Wells and Carley Bredar brought across one run to take a 1-0 lead
- NWU used an RBI double and an RBI triple in the bottom half of the first to take a 2-1 lead
- Second Inning
- The Prairie Wolves extended their lead to 4-1 in the next inning after an RBI triple, a single and two Wartburg errors allowed two runs to score
- Third Inning
- NWU kept adding to its lead in the third inning with a four-run bottom half of the inning powered by three walked batters, two hits and two errors that put Wartburg in a 8-1 hole
- Fourth Inning
- Wartburg continued to fight in the fourth inning as Liz Kruckenberg singled and stole second before an RBI triple from Alexis Larson brought her home
- Ally Happ hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Larson and made the score 8-3
- Fifth Inning
- The Knights continued to close the gap in the top of the fifth inning when Wells, Jenna Wiebenga and Liz Kruckenberg all reached base to load the bases for Stephanie Kiefer, who hit an RBI single to bring home Wells
- Larson hit a sacrifice fly to score Maddie Buskohl, who was pinch running for Wiebenga and then Happ laid down a perfect bunt single to score Kruckenberg to make the score 8-6
- NWU responded in the bottom half with a three-run bottom of the fifth to take a 11-6 lead following three singles
- Sixth Inning
- Wartburg once again fought back in the sixth inning to make the score 11-9 as the Knights turned a hitless inning into three runs following two NWU errors
- Wells, Wiebenga, Bredar and Kruckenberg all reached base with Bredar and Kiefer both recording RBI during the inning
- The Prairie Wolf bats continued to produce runs as NWU put three more runs up in the bottom of the sixth to go in front 14-9 with one inning to play
- Seventh Inning
- NWU held off the Knights in the final inning to secure a 14-9 win in game one
- Game Two
- Second Inning
- Following a scoreless opening frame, Wartburg jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game two
- Wiebenga and Kiefer both reached base and were in scoring position before Larson and Buskohl both walked to bring the first run of the game across
- Kruckenberg laid down a bunt single towards third base that scored Kiefer to put Wartburg up 2-0
- NWU cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second with an RBI double that made the score 2-1
- Third Inning
- Wartburg continued its offensive momentum in the next inning with a four-run top of the third led by three hits and one NWU error that gave the Knights a 6-1 lead
- Wiebenga walked and was replaced on the base path by Sophie Stanic, who stole second and then scored following an RBI single from Bredar
- After a walk from Kiefer, Katelyn Klever stepped up to the dish and delivered a double to left center field that scored two more runs
- Klever stole third base and then scored after an RBI single from Larson that gave Wartburg a five-run lead
- NWU hit another RBI double to left center field to cut Wartburg's lead to 6-2 headed to the fourth inning
- Fourth Inning
- The Knights put up another four-run inning to balloon the lead to 10-2 after five hits in the top of the fourth
- Following a lead off walk, Wells doubled, Stanic reached base and then Bredar singles to load the bases with one out
- Kiefer singled to left field to bring one run across and then Klever hit another double to bring two more runs across that made the score 9-2
- Wartburg added another run when Larson hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Kiefer
- NWU hit a lead off triple and scored one run in the fourth to make the score 10-3 with three innings left to play
- Seventh Inning
- There were no runs scored and just one combined hit in the fifth and sixth innings before the Knights pushed the lead back to eight runs (11-3) in the top of the seventh
- A Bella Mulder double to left field scored Buskohl after she walked and stole second base
- Klever and the Knights defense put the NWU batters down in order to close out a 11-3 win
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Top Performers
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Notes/Streaks
- The Knights are now 15-7 all time against NWU
- Klever is now 6-3 in pitching decisions this season
- First career complete game
- Nine different Knights have now recorded 10+ RBI this season
- Mulder leads the team (32)
- 13-2 record this season when scoring nine or more runs in game
- Wartburg has recorded an extra-base hit in 24/26 games this season
- Mulder and Hassel are tied for the team lead with 12 each
- Larson now leads the team in triples with three
- Following today's games, Reagan Hassel (.421), Klever (.419) and Kruckenberg (.402) all are batting above .400
- After a season-high six errors in game one, the Knights finished game two with no errors
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Next Time Out
The Knights will continue A-R-C action next week when they hit the road on Tuesday, Apr. 7 against Loras College in Dubuque at 2 and 4 p.m.
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