Tigers begin season with four wins over Graceland

JOPLIN, Mo. – After its opening weekend being cancelled, the Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team was itching to step on the diamond again. DWU did just that for the first time since March of 2020 as they earned four wins to begin the season over Graceland University on Saturday and Sunday in Joplin, Mo.

 They downed the Jackets on Saturday with 7-2 and 10-5 victories, followed by 12-3 and 8-2 wins on Sunday.

 In the opening game of the season the Tigers (4-0) struck first thanks to a Cole Hellie (Phoenix, Ariz.) pop fly that was dropped by the outfielder, bringing Jared Jones (Edmond, Okla.) home.

 After another three scoreless innings pitched by Ethan Davis (Billings, Mont.), the Tiger offense went to work again. The top of the fifth frame began with an RBI single by Drew DeMers (Winner, S.D.). After a pair of runs in the middle of the lineup, Joseph Hanisch (Hartford, S.D.) nailed a three-run double to right field to push the lead to seven runs.

 Despite the Jackets (0-5) adding two runs in the bottom half of the frame, DWU held on to pick up the season-opening victory.

 In the second game on Saturday, DWU kicked it off with an early 1-0 lead after a Luke LeMay (St. Paul, Minn.) RBI single. However, Graceland took its first lead of the weekend after a two-run homerun in the bottom of the first frame, taking a 2-1 advantage.

 But DWU made sure the Graceland lead didn't last long as they tallied five runs in the next half inning. Reed Harter (Colome, S.D.) connected on a three-run triple to begin the inning. Later in the same inning Harter scored on a wild pitch.

 After adding four runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the Jackets attempted one final rally. Despite tacking on three runs in the seventh frame, DWU secured its second win of the early season.

 The Tigers opened Sunday with an explosion at the plate after notching 10 runs in the first two innings. Hanisch tallied a three-run double, while Hellie added a two-run double to give DWU an early 5-0 lead.

 The second inning was highlighted by a Wyatt Hunt (Rapid City, S.D.) line drive double to center field that brought a pair of runs home. The Tigers added two more runs in the third frame to extend their lead to 12 runs.

 Graceland added three runs over the next two innings, but DWU recorded its third win of the weekend thanks to impressive hitting and solid pitching and defense.

 The final game of the weekend began with another early lead for DWU, tallying six runs in the first two innings. DeMers scored the first run of the game on a passed ball. Hanisch capped off the inning with an RBI double.

 Harter highlighted the second frame with his second triple of the weekend as he brought a pair of runs home. LeMay brought Harter home a few batters later with a sacrifice fly.

 After Graceland pulled within four runs in the top of the third inning, DWU notched a pair of insurance runs in the fourth inning en route to the 8-2 win.

 Hanisch tallied seven RBIs on the weekend, while Harter finished with four hits and six runs batted in. LeMay also finished the weekend 6-for-12 with five RBIs and six runs scored. Picking up wins on the mound included Davis, Patrick Starr (Overland Park, Kan.), Layne Stafford (Arlington, Neb.) and Jones.

 DWU returns for its home opener against Dakota State University for a doubleheader at noon on Tuesday from Drake Field.