Courtesy of Midland Athletics
FREMONT, Neb. – After a nearly three-hour delay due to a morning rainstorm, No. 21-ranked and second-seeded Midland University took the field against seventh-seeded Hastings College in the opening round of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Softball Postseason Tournament. The Warriors saw their early lead slip away but rallied to secure a 3-2 victory. The game ended up being the only one completed on Wednesday, as the second game between Morningside and Dordt was suspended in the bottom of the first inning due to weather.
Reese Floro sparked Midland’s offense with a leadoff double to right-center in the bottom of the first inning. Isabelle Pagan followed with a one-out double of her own, driving in the game’s first run. Two batters later, Jayci Reimers singled to center to score Pagan and make it 2-0.
Hastings trimmed the lead with a run in the third and tied the game in the fifth. The Broncos threatened to take the lead in the sixth, loading the bases with a double, a single, and a two-out walk, but a strikeout ended the frame.
In the bottom of the sixth, Reimers led off with a double to the gap in right-center. Jenna Lemley followed with a single to right, and when the outfielder misplayed the ball, it rolled toward the fence. Reimers raced home on the error to put Midland back in front, 3-2.
Hastings put two runners aboard in the seventh with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, but a sharply hit grounder to first ended the game. Floro stepped on the bag and fired to Matti Reiling, who tagged out the trailing runner to complete a game-ending double play.
Campbell Petrick started in the circle for Midland, going five-plus innings. She allowed one earned run on five hits and struck out five. Mackenzie Groninga earned the win in relief, throwing two scoreless innings with one hit and one strikeout.
Statistical Standouts
- Reese Floro: 1-for-3, R, 2B
- Isabelle Pagan: 2-for-3, R, RBI, 2 2B
- Jayci Reimers: 2-for-3, R, RBI, 2B
- Jenna Lemley: 2-for-3
- Campbell Petrick: 5+ IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 5 K
Midland (37-13) will face the winner of Morningside versus Dordt in a game scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday. With rain halting the rest of Wednesday’s action, the tournament schedule has been adjusted to include games on Friday.
