Dordt Splits First Two GPAC Tournament Softball Games

The Dordt Defender softball team lost a 2-1 decision to Midland in the opener of the Great Plains Athletic Conference post season tournament. The game was part of the Fremont, Nebraska pod with Midland holding the top seed. The Defenders won their elimination game to stay in the tournament.

Midland scored first on a sacrifice fly in the home half of the first inning after the runner got in scoring position after an error.

The Defenders threatened with two runners in the third but a ground out with runners at first and second ended the threat. Dordt had a runner on in the fourth and finally broke through with a run in the fifth when Ella Koster doubled and scored on a Karli Olsen single.

The score remained tied until Midland got one run across in the sixth but left the bases loaded, allowing Dordt a chance in the seventh.

Pinch hitter Jessica Flaherty reached with a leadoff single and stole second base. Flaherty was retired on a Koster bunt attempt at third base and Jessica Oules lined into a double play to end the game and the threat.

THE NUMBERS
Midland had a 6-5 hits advantage with Koster recording the only extra base hit of the game with a double.

Karli Olsen, Ivy Terpstra, Emma Groen and Flaherty all had singles.

Abby Kraemer took the loss after allowing six hits, no earned runs, three walks and she struck out four.

Game Two:

The Defenders extended their season with a 3-1 win over the University of Jamestown in an elimination game played Wednesday night in the.

Dordt improves its record to 21-20-1 and will play the No.4 seed, Morningside, in an elimination game now rescheduled for Friday, May 6.

Abby Kraemer was masterful once again for the Defenders, earning her 16th win of the season with a complete-game, seven-hitter.

Scoreless after two innings, Dordt pushed two runs across in the top of the third. Ella Koster led off with a walk, advanced to second after a bunt by Jessica Oules and went to third on a single from Kenzie Cunard. Koster scored during the next at-bat when Cunard stole second and the errant throw went into the Jimmies outfield. Brooklyn Van Oort added a two-out, RBI single that scored Cunard.

The Defenders tallied an insurance run and went up 3-0 in the top of the fourth. Emma Groen and Hailey Wilken hit back-to-back singles, putting runners at the corners. Groen then scored on a double steal.

Jamestown plated its lone run off Kraemer in the fourth on an RBI single by Katie Merchant.

THE NUMBERS
Brooklyn Van Oort accounted for two of the Defenders five hits

Kenzie Cunard, Emma Groen and Hailey Wilken all had singles for Head Coach Jeff Zomer’s squad

Abby Kraemer (16-10) scattered seven hits and allowed one earned run in the full seven innings of work; Kraemer struck out three

Jamestown totaled seven hits, all singles; Santina Zito, Sunny Halsey and Katie Merchant had two hits each

Merchant (7-11) allowed five hits and three runs in six innings

NEXT UP: Both the Midland and Northwestern Pods for the GPAC Softball Tournament have postponed play for Thursday. Play will resume at NOON on Friday at both sites.