Morningside tops DWU in offensive battle

FREMONT, Neb. – The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball tallied 11 runs in a nine-inning Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament elimination game, but it wasn't enough as Morningside College ended DWU's season by the final of 17-11 on Friday in Fremont, Neb.

 DWU ends its season at 18-31 overall, 12-16 GPAC.

 It was a back-and-forth affair for much of the contest, but an eight-run six inning sealed the deal for the Mustangs. Prior to the sixth inning, the Tigers led 8-6, but Morningside ultimately did most of its damage on the DWU bullpen.

 Six Tigers had a multi-hit performance, led by senior Sean Riley (Driggs, Idaho). Riley went 2-for-5 with a run, five RBIs and a towering home run over the left-field wall in the bottom of the fifth.

 Tramane Moore (Los Banos, Calif.) went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run, an RBI and two doubles, while Zach Uttecht (Pierce, Neb.) went 2-for-4 with three runs. Fellow senior Jared Neilan (Pierre, S.D.) was 2-for-6 with two runs, two RBI and a homer in the bottom of the sixth inning. Tyler Waddle (Huron, S.D.) was 2-for-5 with a run.

 Braiden Jorgensen (Tetonia, Idaho) took the loss after tossing two-thirds of an inning, allowing seven earned runs off five hits and walking two. Dillon Stadlman (Parkston, S.D.) started on the mound for the Tigers, tossing five innings, allowing five earned runs off eight hits, while striking out three and walking two.

 The Tigers graduate 13 seniors, but return experienced youth under Head Coach John Greicar heading into next fall.