Tigers force extra innings but lose two games to Hastings

MITCHELL, S.D.– Thanks to five runs in the ninth frame of game two, the Dakota Wesleyan University baseball team forced extra innings. However, it was not enough as DWU dropped the two Great Plains Athletic Conference games to Hastings College on Sunday from Cadwell Park in Mitchell.

 The Tigers lost the first game 11-2 and dropped the second contest in 11 innings, 14-13.

 In the opening game of the day, Hastings opened with a three-run first inning. Despite allowing three runs in the top of the frame, DWU notched a run following a Luke LeMay (St. Paul. Minn.) RBI single.

 Jacob Glovich (Sioux Falls, S.D.) settled in on the mound as he struck out one batter, while the other two batters he faced popped out. The Tigers (13-22, 7-17 GPAC) were unable to capitalize in the bottom half of the frame as they went 1-2-3.

 In the top of the third inning, Hastings recorded two homeruns and three runs to push its lead to 6-1. One inning later, the Broncos (12-25, 10-14 GPAC) added another homerun, this time a three-run shot to extend their advantage to 9-1.

 After Hastings tallied a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, the Tigers were looking at an 11-1 deficit in the bottom of the seventh. Joseph Hanisch (Hartford, S.D.) came to the plate as a pinch hitter and capitalized on his opportunity as he connected on a solo-shot homerun. However, that was all the scoring that would be done in the final frame as DWU dropped the opening game.

 LeMay and Hanisch each tallied an RBI, while Drew DeMers (Winner, S.D.) finished 2-for-3 with a run scored. Glovich pitched three innings and struck out one batter on the mound.

 The second game saw plenty of runs and hits as the teams combined for 24 hits and 27 runs scored.

 Hastings opened the second game with three runs off two DWU errors. However, LeMay connected on another first-inning RBI, this time with a double to left field to keep the Tigers within striking distance.

 After Jared Jones (Edmond, Okla.) recorded a strikeout to complete the second inning, the Tigers went to work in the bottom half of the frame. Cameron Quigley (Newcastle, Wyo.) reached on an error, which brought a run home. DeMers came to the plate next and connected on a two-run single to left field. Two batters later, Wyatt Hunt (Rapid City, S.D.) singled to left field to bring another pair of runs home, followed by a Hanisch RBI single as the Tigers collected six runs on five hits.

 Despite holding a 7-3 lead heading to the third inning, the Broncos added five runs in the third frame off three Tiger errors to take an 8-7 advantage. Hastings added two more runs in the top of the fifth frame off a double to center field.

 The Broncos took a 13-7 lead after pushing three runs across home plate in the seventh and eighth innings. However, in the bottom of the eighth, DeMers singled to center field to bring a run home and pull the Tigers within five runs.

 Down by five runs with one final chance to force extra innings, DWU did just that with a five-run inning. Seth Christiansen (Victor, Idaho) crushed a two-run homerun to kick off the scoring and give momentum to the Tigers. Later in the frame, Quigley reached on a Bronco error to bring a run home. One batter later, DeMers singled to bring two runs home and tie the game at 13. After Hastings changed pitchers, they got out of the inning after a groundout by DWU.

 After neither team scored in the 10^th frame, Hastings scored a run in the 11^th inning after a bases-loaded walk. DWU was unable to score in the bottom half of the frame as the Broncos held on to win the second game.

 DeMers finished 3-for-6 with five RBIs and a run scored, while Hanisch went 3-for-6 with a run batted in. Quigley and Hunt each finished with two RBIs at the plate. Jones pitched five innings and struck out three batters.

 The Tigers step out of conference play to take on Presentation College at noon and 2 p.m. tomorrow in Aberdeen, S.D.