Game 1
Northwestern (IA)
Dakota Wesleyan
Game 2
Northwestern (IA)
Dakota Wesleyan
MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team finally hit the field at Cadwell Park after starting the season with 16 games away from home. The Tigers were welcomed by a hard-hitting squad from Northwestern College, which swept the first Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader of the season from DWU.
The Red Raiders took advantage of DWU mistakes in the field to win game one 7-1, while Mitch Peschon hit three home runs in the second game to power Northwestern to a 16-1 victory in seven innings.
The Tigers (8-10, 0-2 GPAC) got on the board first in game one when junior Neil Nagle (Oslo, Minn.) drove home senior Tyler Johnson (Elizabeth, Colo.) with an RBI single in the first. The inning was cut short when sophomore Tyler Waddle (Huron, S.D.) was thrown out at the plate.
The Red Raiders answered immediately with four runs in the second innings and added three more in the fifth to pull away in the seven-inning game. Chase Davis got the win on the mound for Northwestern, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out five in five innings.
DWU senior Joey Fitzgerald (Fairmont, Minn.) was charged with the loss, allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, while striking out seven in five innings. The Tigers finished with four hits and four errors in the loss.
In game two, Peschon did damage each time at the plate for the Red Raiders. He went-4-for-4 with three home runs, six RBIs and five runs scored. The Tigers lone run came on an RBI from junior Cole Wenande (Alexandria, S.D.) in the third inning. Sophomore Michael Johnson (Huron, S.D.) added two hits in the loss to DWU, which finished with three hits and two errors.
Grant Lang got the win for Northwestern, pitching all seven innings of a game that was scheduled for nine. Junior Logan Risse (Martin, S.D.) took the loss after starting for DWU. He threw two and 1/3 innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on five hits and struck out four.
The Tigers look to get back on track against Midland University in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Sunday in Fremont, Neb.