Tucson, Ariz. – The Dakota Wesleyan baseball team picked up their first win of the 2023 season with a 4-0 shoutout win over Bethany Lutheran College. Dexter Payne was the star in this one going eight shutout innings with five punchouts. Drew Kitchens followed up his three hit day yesterday with another three hit effort today. Lane Darrow continued his strong start to the season collecting three hits as well.

Quick Stats:

Hitters-

• Drew Kitchens – 3 for 4, RBI, 2B, SB
• Lane Darrow –  3 for 5, 1 Run, SB

Pitchers-

• Dexter Payne – 8.0 innings, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

• Troy Wilhelm – 1.0 inning, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K

Recap:

Dexter Payne got the nod for the Tigers, in search of their first win of the season and looking for a quality start out of their big left hander. Payne didn't disappoint in the first surrendering a leadoff single but then settling in retiring the next three with one being via the strikeout. The DWU bats looked to give Payne some early run support and did just that. The Tigers plated three runs in the first on four hits. Base knocks came from Darrow, Daulton Wilcoxen, Jake Kostenbauer and Carter Gullickson. Payne continued to be in full control through the next three innings posting zero's in each frame. DWU couldn't get anything going on offense leaving it 3-0 heading to the top of the fifth.

Payne kept cruising through the Vikings order sitting them down in order in the top half of the inning. The Tigers got back on the scoreboard, giving Payne some more run support thanks to Kostenbauer drawing a walk, stealing second and being driven home on a Kitchens RBI double down the left field line. DWU held a 4-0 lead after five innings. Payne turned in another 1,2,3 inning recording another punch out in the inning keeping it 4-0. The Tigers got a man in scoring position but failed to bring him across leaving the score there after six. Both teams went scoreless in the seventh frame keeping the score 4-0.

In the eighth Payne appeared out of the dugout to take the mound again and did not disappoint sitting the Vikings down in order to conclude his day tossing eight shutout innings with five punchouts. Again DWU got runners in scoring position but couldn't get the timely hit this time around leaving the score at 4-0 heading to the final half inning with Dakota Wesleyan being the home team. Troy Wilhelm was called from the bullpen to finish Payne's gem off and Wilhelm did just that retiring all three batters with one via the strikeout for a 4-0 final.

Head-to-Head (Bethany Lutheran):

• Dakota Wesleyan is now 2-0 all-time against Bethany Luthern College after today's win.

Up Next: The Dakota Wesleyan Baseball team is back in action with a double header against Bemidji State University, March 8^th with the first game at 10:00 a.m.