Game 1
Dakota Wesleyan
Mayville St.
Game 2
MAYVILLE, N.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team came out on the short end of two one-run games in a doubleheader against Mayville State University Wednesday in Mayville, N.D.
The Tigers mounted a furious rally in their last at bat in game one before falling 5-4. Both teams struggled to find consistency at the plate in game two, with the Comets edging the Tigers 2-1 in 10 innings to earn the sweep. With the losses, DWU falls to 14-22 overall on the season.
DWU fell behind 5-1 in game one and headed into the seventh and final inning needing to put some offense together. The Tigers got the inning going with a pair of walks and a fly out. Sophomore Tyler Waddle (Huron, S.D.) singled to load the bases and a walk to reigning Great Plains Athletic Conference Player-of-the-Week Jared Neilan (Pierre, S.D.) drove in the first run of the rally.
With the bases still loaded, junior Cole Wenande (Alexandria, S.D.) came through with an RBI single. Pinch hitter Hartman Katz (Huron, S.D.) grounded out to drive in another and cut MSU's lead to one run. The game ended on a groundout off the bat of Austin Calhoon (Winner, S.D.).
Three pitchers entered the game for DWU and the loss went to starter Joey Fitzgerald (Fairmont, Minn.). He threw 1 and 1/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned on one hit and walked one. DWU finished with six hits and Waddle was the lone Tiger with multiple hits with two. Neilan added two RBIs.
In game two, the Tigers got strong pitching from five hurlers, allowing just two runs on four hits, while striking out seven. Unfortunately for DWU, the MSU pitchers were also on top of their game, allowing just one run on one hit.
Down 1-0, the Tigers pushed a run across in the sixth. The scoring opportunity started with a double from senior Tyler Johnson (Elizabeth, Colo.). Sophomore Lakin Neugebauer (Mitchell, S.D.) came in to pinch run for Johnson and scored later in the inning on an error.
The Tigers were held off the board the rest of the way and MSU scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning on an RBI single from Nate Williams.
DWU heads back to GPAC play for a doubleheader against Doane College at 1 p.m. Saturday in Crete, Neb.