DUBUQUE, Iowa - The University of Dubuque softball team earned a split with the Nebraska Wesleyan University Prairie Wolves on Saturday afternoon at the UD Softball Field. The Spartans won game one by an 8-2 margin and lost game two 7-5 in nine innings.

In the opener, UD scored eight runs off nine hits and played errorless as the Prairie Wolves scored two runs off 10 hits and played errorless. Katie Hayes broke the game open in the opening inning after a three run homerun to deep centerfield. Grace Stevenson in the bottom of the sixth added a run after a solo homerun to left-center field and she finished 2-4 at the plate, Audrey Morris and Amber Wisely both ended the win by going 2-3 at the plate. Kaitlyn Powell was 1-3 with a pair of RBI's after a triple to right-center in the second inning. 

Ally Gullette earned her eighth win of the season after pitching a complete seven innings and allowing two earned runs after facing 32 batters. The Spartans defense would force NWU to leave nine runners on base. 

In the second game, UD battled from behind after trailing 4-1 in three innings. The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the fifth 4-4 and took the one run lead after six innings 5-4. NWU knotted the game with a single up the middle with two outs. Both teams went down in three straight at bats in the eighth. NWU took the lead by adding two runs in the top of the ninth to lead 7-5. Powell opened with a single down the right line. A foul pop up was the first out. An error by second base put runners at second and third, The Spartans final two at bats went down swinging for two strikeouts ending the game in the ninth inning,

UD scored five runs in 12 hits and left nine runners on base, NWU scored seven runs off eight hits and finished with three errors. Kaitlyn Powell went 4-5 with a triple, Audrey Morris was 3-4, Grace Stevenson was 2-5, and Anna Luczak grabbed a double at the plate. Ally Gullette took the loss after allowing two runs in her 2.2 innings. 

The Spartans (14-8 overall, 3-3 in A-R-C) will host the Wartburg College Knights (15-9 overall, 4-0 in A-R-C) on Tuesday, April 8 in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m.