Tigers compete in opening weekend in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team kicked off the Tucson Invitational with non-conference losses against Briar Cliff University, Dordt University and NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University, before picking up back-to-back wins against Waldorf College in Tucson, Ariz. 

 The Tigers (4-6) began play on Friday against familiar foe BCU, falling 13-3 in eight innings.

 The Chargers (7-9) scored four runs on two hits and one DWU error in the first frame. After being held scoreless in the second frame, BCU tacked on two more runs during the top of the third to take a 6-0 lead.

 However, DWU answered with two runs thanks to a two-run double from Kyle Bailey (Brandon, S.D.) to bring the score to 6-2 heading into the fourth frame. But it was as close as the Tigers got, as the Chargers added seven runs throughout the final four innings to close the game in eight innings.

 Bailey went 1-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in, as Reed Harter (Colome, S.D.) went 1-for-2 at the plate and scored two runs, while Drew Demers (Winner, S.D.) tacked on a single and walked twice.

 On Saturday, the Tigers faced Dordt in a non-conference matchup for their first game of the day.

 The Defenders (3-9) took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first frame. However, thanks to a pair of walks and two well-executed sacrifice plays, the Tigers notched the score at 1-1 heading into the third inning.

 DWU took their first lead of the game at 3-1, in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to a pair of singles and stellar situational baseball.

 After five scoreless innings for the Defenders, they tallied two runs on one hit in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 3-3 with two innings left to play.

 Dordt capitalized on a lead-off walk in the top of the eighth inning, as they scored the go-ahead run after to two hits. DWU could not respond in their last two at-bats, as they fell 4-3.

 Chandler Bakley (Martin, S.D.) went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Tigers, while Bailey notched a single, and Wyatt Hunt (Rapid City, S.D.) tallied two runs batted in. Jacob Scully (Florence, Mont.) was charged with the loss, as he pitched seven complete innings, allowing five hits and striking out six batters.

 The second game of Saturday was against Division II opponent Southwest Minnesota State, as the Tigers fell 13-3 in seven innings.

 The Mustangs (4-5) scored eight runs through the first three innings of the game to take a commanding 8-0 lead heading into the fourth frame. DWU scored one run in the top half of the fourth, before SMSU added two more runs to take a 10-1 lead.

 The Tigers added two more runs throughout the game, but it was not enough, as DWU fell 13-3.

 Harter led the way going 2-for-4 at the plate, as Cole Hellie (Phoneix, Ariz.) also went 2-for-4.

 On Sunday the Tigers took on Waldorf University in a doubleheader, as DWU won both games.

 After a scoreless first three innings for both teams, DWU erupted for three runs in the top of the fourth inning thanks to four hits and one Waldorf error to take a 3-0 lead.

 The Tigers added a run in each of the final three innings to take a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom half of the final frame.

 The Warriors (4-13) did not go down quietly, however, as they scored three runs of their own in the final frame. It was not enough, as the Tigers held on for a 6-3 win. 

 In the second game, Dominique Boerger (Milbank, S.D.) dominated, as he allowed just one hit and one unearned run through six innings of work, while striking out eight batters and picking up the win.

 Cameron Quigley (Newcastle, Wyo.) kicked off the third inning with a leadoff triple, as Harter followed suit with a triple of his own to score Quigley. Bailey roped a double down the left field line to score Harter, followed by a Bakley single that scored the third run of the inning.

 Waldorf answered with a run of their own to start the fourth inning, before DWU added two more runs to take a 5-1 lead heading into the fifth frame.

 The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, to push the final score to 7-1 and cap the sweep of the Warriors.

 Quigley finished the second game of the day going 2-for-3 at the plate and scoring three runs, while Bailey went 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and Harter also went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in.

 DWU continues to compete in the Tucson Invitational today, as they battle Benedictine University at 6 p.m., followed by a nine-inning contest with the University of Antelope Valley at 9 p.m. in Tucson, Ariz.