RUESINK, PRAVECEK AND MEYERS HISTORIC DAY NOT ENOUGH AS CHARGERS WALK OFF BOTH GAMES
April 8, 2023

RUESINK, PRAVECEK AND MEYERS HISTORIC DAY NOT ENOUGH AS CHARGERS WALK OFF BOTH GAMES

Sioux City, Iowa. – The Dakota Wesleyan baseball team drops game three and four of their four game series with the Chargers by scores of 4-3 in game one and 7-6 in game two. Both games were a back and forth battle with both ending in a walk off. DWU in game two had milestone moment after milestone moment. First, true freshman Landon Ruesink in his first career start went 3 for 4 with a home run. Oscar Pravecek collected his first collegiate hit on a pinch hit home run as well as Nathan Meyers who at the time was the hero with his firs collegiate hit coming off a two out, two strike, pinch hit two-run shot to tie it up in the ninth. Seth Christiansen had a strong game two as well going 1 for 4 with a two-run home run. The Tigers hit four home runs in game two, resulting in all their offense coming via the home run. DWU entered today's games with just three home runs on the season. Dakota Wesleyan with the two losses falls to 4-21 (1-13 GPAC) while the Chargers improved to 18-14 (6-10 GPAC).

Quick Stats Game 1:

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Recap:

Dakota Wesleyan bats jumped on the Briar Cliff starter right out of the gate with the first three men reaching to load the bases with no outs. Lane Darrow and Seth Christiansen hit back-to-back singles and then Diego Jirau reached on a Chargers error. The Tigers got on the board, but it came at a cost grounding into a double play, which BCU would gladly trade two outs for one run in the situation. DWU only managed one run despite the bases loaded with zero outs for an early 1-0 lead. Alexander Mizsak got the nod for DWU and had his best stuff on display in the first getting two groundouts and a punchout to retire the Chargers. DWU threatened in the top of the second having Carter Gullickson stranded at third after his leadoff walk and advancing on a wild pitch and error, but the score would remain 1-0. Mizsak in the bottom half got two quick outs but then lost the command a little issuing two walks, but worked out posting a zero on the scoreboard to keep his 1-0 lead through two.

The Tigers went down quietly in the third and BCU got to Mizsak plating two runs on two hits. Mizsak struggled with his command in the inning issuing three walks and a wild pitch. Mizsak really buckled down and got tough when his team needed him to, limiting the damage as he faced bases loaded with zero outs and just like in the first for the DWU bats got a 6-4-3 double play to trade two outs for a run. The Chargers came up with the clutch hit though to get that second run in from third to take a 2-1 lead through three frames. With one out in the top half Jake Kostenbauer and Gullickson both reached on a base knock, but the struggles of coming up with that clutch hit with runners on continued resulting in the score remaining 2-1 Chargers.

Troy Wilhelm took over duties on the mound for Mizsak in the bottom of the fourth. Wilhelm continued to pitch well out of the bullpen posting a zero on the board and only surrendering a bunt single in the inning. Wilhelm came into the game with the best ERA on the team, among qualified pitchers only surrendering one earned run in his last 11 2/3 innings pitched. In the top of the fifth the Tigers got those clutch two-out hits they have been looking for all season when Daulton Wilcoxen and Drew Kitchens laced back-to-back doubles scoring a run each time to take a 3-2 lead. Wilhelm in the bottom half got two quick outs via the punchout, but then ran into trouble giving up a single and having the runner advance to third on a steal and error on the throw. Wilhelm then walked the next batter, and he stole second putting two runners in scoring position with two outs. Troy got out of the inning with a fly out to hold onto their 3-2 lead through five.

The Chargers stuck with their starter who was nearing the 100-pitch mark. Kostenbauer reached on an infield single, but BCU starter picked up two strikeouts in the inning with the second one ending his day and having the Chargers go to the pen. Kalub Carmichael got an infield hit off the new arm but the threat would end there keeping it 3-2. The Chargers tied it up in the bottom half with a pinch-hit solo blast, ending Wilhelm's day. Landon Waddell took over duties out of the pen coming in with the lone save on the season. Waddell has issues early with command giving up a walk and hit by pitch. He found it when he needed it locating two off speed pitches perfectly with the hitter attempting to bunt and not being able to. Waddell then got the batter to roll over and ground into a 6-4-3 double play. After another walk and stolen base Waddell faced two runners in scoring position and got a groundout to escape the jam with the game tied 3-3 heading to the final frame. DWU threatened in the top half, staying patient at the plate drawing three walks in the inning but failed to get that timely hit leaving it knotted up at 3 going to the bottom of the seventh. The Chargers first man up drove the ball over the left center wall for a 4-3 final.

Quick Stats Game 2:

Hitters-

Pitchers-

Recap:

DWU struggled through the first three innings against Briar Cliff starter Matt Hmielewski who tallied three scoreless frames with six punchouts. Landon Ruesink in his first collegiate start picked up his for collegiate hit against Hmielewski which was the lone base hit over the three-inning span. Seth Christiansen got the nod in game four against the Chargers. Christiansen pitched well through the first three frames giving up two runs on three hits and collecting four strikeouts during the span. Heading to the fourth the Tigers faced a 2-0 deficit.

In the top of the fourth Ruesink picked up his second hit of the game and scored on Christiansen's two-run shot helping his own cause and tying the game at 2-2. Dexter Payne appeared out of the dugout to take over in the fourth, ending Christiansen day. Briar Cliff plated one in the inning on Payne to regain the lead 3-2. Both squads went scoreless in the fifth with Payne collecting a punchout in the process. The Tigers tied the game up in the sixth with Ruesink continuing his historic day by collecting his first collegiate home run. Ruesink, a perfect 3 for 3 in his first start and showing that the moment was not to big for him coming up clutch for his team as a true freshman.

Payne worked a quick 1-2-3 inning but didn't get any help in the top of the seventh from the DWU bats leaving it knotted up at 3-3 going to the bottom of the seventh. Payne tossed another zero on the board, sending it to the eighth still tied at 3-3. There was fireworks again in the top of the eighth when pinch hitter, Oscar Pravecek hit the go-ahead home run over the left field wall. This was Pravecek first collegiate hit as well, doing it in dramatic fashion with the go-ahead home run. Payne struggled with command in the bottom issuing a walk and hit by pitch and then gave up a three-run shot to give the Chargers back the lead at 6-4. After retiring one batter and walking another he was relieved by Logan Davis who got a 4-6-3 roll ball to end the inning. DWU down 6-4 was down to their last half inning with 4-5-6 due up.

With two outs and two strikes against pinch hitting freshman, Nathan Meyers, Meyers connected on a no doubter blast to tie the game at 6-6. This was, you guessed it, Meyers first collegiate hit/home run of his DWU career. The Tigers sent the game to the bottom of the ninth with Davis still on the bump. Davis hit the first batter concluding his day, bringing Troy Wilhelm out of the pen for his second appearance of the day after tossing two innings in game one. The Chargers would collect the timely hit they needed to complete back-to-back walk offs for a 7-6 final.

 

Up Next: The Dakota Wesleyan Baseball team returns to Mitchell for their home opener doubleheader against (RV) Concordia, April 11th with the first game set to start at 1:00 p.m.

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