Warriors Win Trio to Advance to GPAC Championship Series

FREMONT, Neb. — Facing elimination on the second day of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament, top-seeded Midland University needed three wins to keep its championship hopes alive. The Warriors opened the day with a 5-3 victory over fourth-seeded Dakota Wesleyan University before avenging an opening-round loss to eighth-seeded Hastings College with a 5-4 win in 10 innings. Midland then capped the marathon day with a 7-3 victory over the Broncos to advance to Saturday's GPAC Championship Series.

GAME ONE: Midland 5, Dakota Wesleyan 3

The Warriors struck first with two runs in the third inning and added three more in the fourth. Jaiden Wehrle and MaKenna Watkins each drove in a run in the third to make it 2-0. In the fourth, Maddison Zach delivered a two-run double before Sophie De Rouin followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 5-0.

Dakota Wesleyan answered with one run in the fifth and added two more in the seventh, but Midland held on for the victory.

Mackenzie Groninga earned the complete-game win, allowing three earned runs on three hits while striking out 14.

Statistical Standouts

• Jaidan Wehrle: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2B
• MaKenna Watkins: 1-for-3, RBI
• Maddison Zach: 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, SB
• Sophie De Rouin: 1-for-2, RBI, 2B
• Mackenzie Groninga: 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 14 K

GAME TWO: Midland 5, Hastings 4 (10 innings)

In a rematch with the Broncos, Midland grabbed an early lead in the first inning when Isabelle Pagan singled home a run. Hastings responded with three unanswered runs before Sophie De Rouin drove in a run with a bases-loaded single up the middle. Jaidan Wehrle followed with an RBI fielder's choice to tie the game at 3-3.

After Hastings regained the lead with a run in the top of the fifth, Emma Hodnet answered with an RBI double down the right-field line in the bottom half of the inning to even the score at 4-4.

The game remained tied into extra innings before Claire Wisnieski delivered the hit of the day in the bottom of the 10th. On a 3-1 count, Wisnieski launched a one-out walk-off home run over the left-field fence to send the Warriors into the final game of the day.

Campbell Petrick started for Midland, allowing four earned runs over 4 1/3 innings with two strikeouts. Groninga entered in relief and tossed the final 5 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out two to earn the win.

Statistical Standouts

• MaKenna Watkins: 3-for-5, R, SB
• Jayci Reimers: 2-for-4, R
• Emma Hodnet: 1-for-5, RBI, 2B
• Maddison Zach: 1-for-3, R, 2 BB, SB
• Claire Wisnieski: 2-for-3, R, RBI, HR
• Sophie De Rouin: 1-for-4, RBI

GAME THREE: Midland 7, Hastings 3

Needing one more win to complete the comeback run, Midland erupted for six runs in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Sophie De Rouin was hit by a pitch to force in a run. MaKenna Watkins followed with a two-run double to right field, Alexis Shepherd added an RBI single, and Jayci Reimers capped the inning with a two-run single to left field.

Hastings attempted to rally in the fifth with two runs, but Midland answered in the bottom half when Jaidan Wehrle doubled home a run to push the lead to 7-2.

The Broncos added one run in the seventh before Shepherd secured the final out in left field, sending the Warriors to Championship Saturday.

With Midland's top two pitchers already logging significant innings during the tournament, Chloe Wagner delivered a clutch complete-game effort. Wagner struck out seven while allowing two earned runs on six hits.

Statistical Standouts

• Jaidan Wehrle: 3-for-4, RBI, 2B
• MaKenna Watkins: 2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B
• Alexis Shepherd: 1-for-3, R, RBI, BB, SB
• Jayci Reimers: 2-for-4, 2 RBI
• Emma Hodnet: 2-for-4, R
• Maddison Zach: 2-for-3, R
• Sophie De Rouin: 0-for-2, 2 R, RBI
• Chloe Wagner: 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 7 K

Midland (40-13) advances to the GPAC Championship Series against Morningside University (29-16) on Saturday, May 2. The best-of-three series begins at 11 a.m. at Schilke Fields in Fremont.