Vikings Split with Sioux City Colleges

The Dana Softball team split four games with Morningside College and Briar Cliff University.  The Vikings lost both games in a crucial double header on Friday against the Mustangs 1-2 and 1-2.  Dana rebounded on Saturday and defeated Briar Cliff 2-0 in eight innings and then 6-2 in the night cap. 

On Fridays match-up between the top two teams in the GPAC, pitching was the dominate force.  Josie Barrow (JR, Woodward, IA) pitched a complete game five hitter and struck out seven.  The only two Mustang runs came in the top of the sixth inning on a home run.  Dana had runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the seventh.  Paige Brune (SO, Dodge, NE) reached on an error by Morningside’s pitcher that allowed Jacqueline Holzer (SO, Woodbine, IA) to score.  Lindy Bohlmann (SO, Denison, IA) was then gunned down at the plate attempting to score the tying run.  Dana was unable to push across another run.  The second game saw Viking ace Cassie Lager (JR, Missouri Valley, IA) throw a complete game with nine strike outs.  Unfortunately for the Vikings, two of the Mustangs five hits were solo homeruns.  Dana’s lone run came in the fifth inning when Beth Richmond (SO, Chariton, IA) reached on a bunt single.  Richmond then stole second.  She then scored as Maggie Downs (JR, St. Charles, IA) put down a squeeze bunt.  Dana was unable to push across the game tying run.

Dana traveled to Sioux City to take on Briar Cliff on Saturday.  The first game saw the potent Viking offense locked down again.  Dana pounded eight hits, but did not score a run until the top of the eighth inning.  Josie Barrow blasted a homerun with one out to give Dana a lead.  Two batters later, Sara Sempek (SR, Omaha, NE) hit the Vikings second home run to put the game out of reach.  Barrow also pitched eight innings giving up one hit and striking out 13 Chargers.  Game two had Dana down 2-0 going into the top of the fifth.  Then Coach Roff’s team came to life.  Dana capitalized on two hits and two Briar Cliff errors to put the game away with five runs.  Cassie Lager pitched seven innings to earn the win.  She allowed just four hits and two runs, while striking out nine.

Dana is now 30-15 overall and 17-3 in conference.  Dana has four games remaining this season.  They travel to Concordia today and have a make-up game scheduled at Nebraska Wesleyan on Tuesday.  Dana has a two game lead over Morningside for the top spot in conference, but Morningside owns the tie breaker (if the two teams end up tied).  The conference tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, May 3 in Sioux City, Iowa.  Brackets will be posted once the regular season is finished on Tuesday evening.
For more information, contact:

Shad Beam, sports information director, (402) 426-7389, sbeam@dana.edu
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Scott Guzinski, assistant Sports Information Director, (402) 426-7949, sguzinsk@dana.edu