Shad Beam, Sports Information Director (402) 426-7389

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 5, 2008

Vikings Go 1-2 at GPAC Tournament

Blair, Nebraska ~ The Dana College softball team went 1-2 in the 2008 GPAC Softball Championships over the weekend.  Dana lost their opening round game against Morningside College 4-3 in 11 innings.  The Vikings eliminated Midland Lutheran 13-0 in five innings in the elimination bracket.  Dana was then knocked out of the tournament by top-seeded Concordia 6-1.

In the opening game of the tournament, third seeded Morningside used four solo homeruns to beat Dana in 11-innings.  The Mustangs put two runs on the board in the fourth inning with back-to-back solo shots.  Dana responded with three hits in the top of the fifth to draw within a run.  Kristina Cox (FR, Omaha, NE) got things going with a single.  Megan Gerdes (SO, Treynor, IA) pinch-ran for Cox and advanced to second on a Beth Richmond (JR, Chariton, IA) single.  Aimee Supanchick (SR, Hazard, NE) drove Gerdes in with a single to right field.  The Vikings tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning.  TJ Beeman (SR, Grimes, IA) started the inning with a single.  She came around to score on a Brianne Nutty (SO, Omaha, NE) single.  The two teams remained tied until the top of the ninth inning.  Kristina Cox gave the Vikings a 3-2 lead with a one-out home run.  Morningside answered with a solo shot in the bottom of the inning.  The Mustangs ended the game in the bottom of the eleventh with a leadoff homerun.  Cassie Lager (SR, Missouri Valley, IA) pitched a complete game, allowing seven hits, in the loss.  Lager struck out 16 Mustang batters, while allowing four earned runs.  TJ Beeman, Kristina Cox, and Jesse McKinney (JR, Lincoln, NE) had two hits.

Faced with elimination, Dana squared off against second seeded Midland Lutheran.  The Vikings made quick work of the Warriors.  Dana used 13 hits to produce 11 runs in a five inning win.  The Vikings produced six runs in the third inning to put the game out of reach.  Josie Barrow (SR, Woodward, IA) got things rolling with a double.  Paige Brune (JR, Dodge, NE) tripled to score Barrow.  Brune came around to score on a Brianne Nutty homerun.  Kristina Cox and Lindy Bohlmann (JR, Denison, IA) singled to put two runners on base.  Jesse McKinney drove both runners with a homerun to left field.  Dana iced the game in the top of the fifth with four more runs.  Brune came up with a huge three-run homer to end the game early.  Brianne Nutty pitched a complete game, allowing one hit to earn the win.  Nutty struck-out six Warrior batters.  Paige Brune, Jesse McKinney, and Brianne Nutty each hit homeruns.  Nutty, Lindy Bohlmann, and Josie Barrow each had two hits.  Brune had a team high three hits and four RBI’s.

Dana was unable to keep up the momentum against top seeded Concordia in the elimination bracket.  Viking bats could muster only two hits and one run in the loss.  Kristina Cox had both of the Viking hits.  The lone Viking run came in the sixth inning off two Bulldog errors which allowed Megan Gerdes to cross home.  Mindy Schoop (JR, Johnston, IA) pitched a complete game and suffered the loss.  Schoop allowed nine hits and six runs.

Coach Roff’s Corner

“We played very well at the conference tournament and I was pleased about all aspects of our game.  It is thrilling to be in the regionals!  I know that being a #8 seed is pressure free and I really feel like our team will relax and respond really well.  We are looking forward to the challenge of Dickinson State first round.  I know we can make some noise!”

Box Scores from Morningside:  http://www.dana.edu/softball/stats08/danmort.htm

Box Scores from Midland:        http://www.dana.edu/softball/stats08/danamlc3.htm

Box Scores from Concordia:     http://www.dana.edu/softball/stats08/dancnct3.htm

Dana ends the weekend with a 22-18 overall record and 15-9 in conference play.  The Vikings found out Monday morning they qualified for the Region III Championships in Sioux City, Iowa as the eighth seed.  Dana will play top seed Dickinson State at noon on May 7^th on Field #2 at the SYA Softball Complex.  This is a double elimination tournament, so Dana will play again regardless at 2:00pm on Wednesday.

For more information, please contact Shad Beam, Sports Information Director at sbeam@dana.edu.