Chargers fight past Warriors

By Aaron Schneider

SIOUX CITY – Briar Cliff University came out on top in a pair of hard-fought wins over the Waldorf University softball team during Sunday’s doubleheader.

The Chargers (9-11) secured the sweep, winning by scores of 4-3 and 5-4.

Senior Kaitlin Murphy went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI single for the Warriors (4-12) during the opener. Junior Trista Bures and senior Andrea Hartmann each drove in a run. Waldorf received singles from Bures, junior Ashton May and sophomore Hattie Hupke.

Briar Cliff’s Madison Deane contributed a 2-for-2 performance with a solo homer. Amy Anderson finished 2-for-2 while Ashley Del Alto went 2-for-4 at the plate.

Ciara Dotzler (7-4) earned the win. She struck out two batters, walked three and allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits in four innings. Jessica Bastian recorded her first save of the season after giving up a hit and three walks in three scoreless innings.

Sophomore Kaylie Brindley (1-5) was handed the loss. She fanned four batters, issued a walk and surrendered four runs (two earned) off eight hits in six innings.

Murphy singled in a run during the top of the third inning to put the Warriors on the board.

Deane led off the fourth by cranking a solo homer. Elise Berg drove in a run after reaching on an error while Danielle Ishii knocked in a run on a fielder’s choice. Kaitlin Briley added an RBI single to give Briar Cliff a 4-1 advantage.

Bures drove in a run during the fifth after reaching on a fielder’s choice. Hartmann delivered an RBI sacrifice fly to pull the Warriors within one run.

The Chargers allowed two base runners to reach in the sixth, but retired Waldorf in order during the seventh to seal the victory.

Senior Jessica Abrahamson produced a two-run double, going 2-for-4 during the second game. Hartmann also went 2-for-4 at the plate. Seniors Maggie Eden and Maggie Hawley each finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. Sophomore Taylor Bell and Murphy also added singles.

Briley ripped a two-run triple, going 1-for-4 at the plate. Deane finished 1-for-1 with an RBI double to help lead Briar Cliff’s six-hit effort.

Bastian finished with two strikeouts and two walks while allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits in the first two and two-thirds innings. Dotzler pitched four and one-third scoreless innings to notch her second win of the day. She recorded a strikeout while giving up four hits.

Hawley struck out a batter, walked two and relinquished four runs (two earned) on four hits in four innings. Sophomore Briley Sullivan (1-1) received the loss after yielding an unearned run off two hits and a walk in two innings.

Deane doubled in a run during the bottom of the first to give Briar Cliff a 1-0 lead.

Hawley connected for a second-inning RBI single to tie the game.

The Warriors went ahead 4-1 in the top of the third when Abrahamson delivered a two-run double and Eden singled in another run.

Del Alto smacked an RBI double in the third to cut Waldorf’s lead to two runs.

Briley evened the score in the fourth after tripling in two runs.

Abby Thomsen drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single.

The Chargers gave up just one hit in the seventh to escape with their second one-run win of the day.

Waldorf opens North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) play, hosting Mayville State University (7-10) in a four-game series on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s doubleheader begins at 2 p.m. and Saturday’s two-game set is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.