(RV) Warriors Take Two from Dakota Wesleyan on the Road

MITCHELL, S.D. – Midland University continued its marathon week of games in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) on Friday as they took on Dakota Wesleyan University up in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Warriors routed the Tigers in the first game, winning 11-0 in six innings, before stringing together a comeback victory in game two, 9-7. The sweep moves Midland to 25-8 overall and to 10-2 in the conference while DWU falls to 6-25 and 1-11.

GAME ONE: Midland 11, Dakota Wesleyan 0 (6 innings)

After two scoreless innings to start the game, the Warriors' offense came to life in the 3rd. Kevin Kight got on base with a one-out single through the left side. Emily Prai earned a walk ahead of an RBI single down the leftfield line by Keira Painter.

Carly Pfitzer came to the plate after a fielder's choice and drilled a double to right field that scored both Prai and Painter. Aliyah Rincon then reached on a catcher's interference, as Roni Foote came into score and Pfitzer moved over to third.

Two innings later, Amanda Schmaderer laced a single up the middle for a pair of RBIs. Scoring was Painter, who led off with a walk and stole second, and Halle Meyer who came on as a courtesy runner for Rincon who reached on an error.

The 6th inning saw Midland's biggest offensive output of the day with five runs. Mia Orduna led off with a single and then was pinch-ran for by Kylie Phillips. Kight and Prai hit back-to-back singles to load the bases. Painter drove in one with a walk and then Foote doubled to left-center to drive in three runs. After a groundout moved Foote to third, Rincon drove her home with a single down the right-field line, making it 11-0 and putting the game on tilt.

Midland closed out DWU with three-straight outs in the 6th, a lineout, strikeout, and a groundout, to end the game via the run-rule.

Statistical Standouts

• Keira Painter: 1-for-2, 3 R, 2 RB, 2 BB
• Roni Foote: 2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B
• Carly Pfitzer: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Amanda Schmaderer: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB
• Kevin Kight: 2-for-3, 2 R
• Aliyah Rincon: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 7 K

GAME TWO: Midland 9, Dakota Wesleyan 7

The Warriors' offensive onslaught continued at the start of the second game, scoring four runs in the 1st. Paeton Coler drove in Ariyana Crafton and Roni Foote with a single, followed by an error to the outfield. Carly Pfitzer, who walked prior to her hit ended up on third and Coler was stopped at second. Two batters later, Mia Orduna hit a two-RBI single to left, making the score 4-0 after a half-inning.

Dakota Wesleyan was able to net a run in the home half of the inning via a sacrifice fly.

In the 2nd, Midland plated two runs as Foote homered with Emily Prai on base via a one-out walk.

The Tigers kept chipping away slowly, scoring one run in the 2nd and another in the 3rd to make it a 6-3 game while they began a string of holding the Warriors' offense in check.

In the bottom of the 5th, DWU plated four runs to take over the lead, 7-6. They did so with two hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, and a Midland error. They would preserve their lead through the 6th as they held the Warriors scoreless for the fourth-straight inning.

Heading into their final at-bat trailing by a run, the Warriors got things going with a lead-off single by Pfitzer. A one-out double by Amanda Schmaderer brought in the tying run. Orduna followed with a single to put runners at the corners.

Following a tough infield groundout, Alexis Page came through with a single to second, scoring Schmaderer. An error by the first baseman allowed Page to go to second and for Orduna to come across to put Midland up 9-7.

In the DWU half of the inning, Aliyah Rincon got a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to seal the Warriors' win.

Statistical Standouts

• Roni Foote: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR
• Carly Pfitzer: 1-for-1, 2 R, 3 BB
• Amanda Schmaderer: 2-for-4, R, RBI, 2B
• Mia Orduna: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI

Midland (25-8, 10-2 GPAC) was originally scheduled to continue its trek north to play Jamestown (15-15, 2-6 GPAC) on Sunday. That game was moved to Aberdeen, South Dakota earlier in the week and then recently was shifted to Sunday to avoid a quick storm rolling through the area. The teams will now take the field at Koehler Hall of Fame Field at noon on April 16.