DWU Athletic Department

Extra-innings loss hurts Tiger softball team in Tuscon

TUSCON, Ariz. – The Dakota Wesleyan University softball team suffered a heartbreaking loss in its first game Tuesday and ended up going 0-2 for the day at the Tuscon Spring Break Invitational in Arizona.

DWU (3-6) suffered an extra-innings loss to conference rival Nebraska Wesleyan University, 5-4, Tuesday morning. In the team’s second game, Patten College pulled out a 5-1 win to had the Tigers’ their second loss of the day. Dakota Wesleyan is now 1-4 at the invite.

Nicole Haley

Tiffany Bonifacio

Andrea Johnson

Kelsey Timmons started the team’s eight-inning loss to the Prairie Wolves. In five-plus innings she allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Brandi Nekrassoff came on in relief to throw the final two-plus innings. Nekrassoff took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits and a walk with one K.

Nicole Haley and Tiffany Bonifacio each went 2-for-4 to lead the Tiger offense in the loss. Haley had a double and a single, and Bonifacio connected for two singles. Nekrassoff, Jess Foster and Erika Cruz all had singles as well.

In the tilt with Patten, Roni Nekrassoff took the loss on the mound. She threw a complete game and allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Andrea Johnson went 2-for-3 to lead DWU’s offense and Haley, Bonifacio, Timmons, Cruz and Lauren Lynds all had one hit in the loss.

The Tigers will take tomorrow off, and they’ll return to action in Tuscon Thursday with games against a pair of North Dakota schools. DWU will face Dickinson State University at 12:30 p.m. and Mayville State University at 5 p.m. Both start times are PST.