ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern College baseball team (15-17, 7-9 GPAC) erupted for nine extra base hits as they swept the Warriors of Midland University (20-12, 7-9 GPAC) to split the four-game series on the season.
Jaden Snyder went deep twice on the day, as Northwestern belted six home runs to move to 6-4 at the Baseball Diamond on the season.
GAME 1: Northwestern 7, Midland 2
Pitching Decisions
Win: Dylan Kirkeby (2-2)
Loss: Hilton Mehrmann (1-4)
Save: N/A
How It Happened
Game one was highlighted by five long balls between the two games, as the Raiders scored all seven runs on four home runs, all hit by different Raiders.
Mo Watson (So., Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) started the home run barrage with a solo shot in the second inning to lead-off the frame, giving Northwestern the 1-0 lead.
The bulk of the Raider runs came in the fourth inning, scoring four in the frame as all nine Raiders had an at-bat in the inning. For the second inning of the day, a lead-off home run put a run on the board with
Sam Stanford (So., Los Angeles, Calif./Pacifica Christian) doing the honors.
A few batters later,
Mason Porepp (So., Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk) went yard, scoring
Tanner Schouten (Fr., Orange City, Iowa/MOC-Floyd Valley), to extend the Raider lead to 4-0. This home run would prove to be the difference when it was all said and done. Finally, to wrap up the fourth, an RBI single from
Evan Olesen (So., Estherville, Iowa/Estherville Lincoln Central) scored
Ty Martens (R-Fr., Elizabeth, Colo./Ponderosa), making 5-0 NWC.
A two-run blast in the sixth from Snyder (Jr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) would wrap up the Raider scoring on the day, extending the lead to 7-0.
Midland would put two up in the seventh, ending the Raider shutout bid. Northwestern would take Game 1 7-2.
Game Notes
- Six Raiders recorded hits on the day, two had multi-hit games (Stanford & Snyder).
- Northwestern hit four home runs as a team in Game 1.
- Three stolen bases on the day for the Raiders.
- Jaden Snyder hit his second home run of the season in Game 1 and had a multi-hit game for the sixth time this season.
- Dylan Kirkeby picked up his second win of the season (2-2) throwing 6.1 innings on the day. He struck out three, scattered six Midland hits, and allowed two runs.
- Ryan Reynolds made his team-leading 12th appearance on the year, collecting the final two outs in the seventh. He struck out one of the two hitters he faced.
GAME 2: Northwestern 6, Midland 5 (F/10)
Pitching Decisions
Win: Colton Schuchart (2-1)
Loss: Keegan Adams (1-1)
Save: N/A
How It Happened
Northwestern struck first in Game 2 thanks to Watson's first double of the day, that scored Stanford to give Northwestern the early 1-0 lead.
Midland took the lead in the third as Trey Rodriguez went deep to drive in two runs and take the 2-1 lead. Northwestern would draw even in the bottom half with a solo shot from Olesen (2-2).
Another solo home run, this time from Peyton Garbers, would give Midland the lead back at 3-2 in the fourth. The Warriors would tack on one more – taking their largest lead of the day – with an RBI single, making it 4-2 through four and a half.
Again, Northwestern would respond with runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth. Watson's second double of the day plated Stanford again. Later, a Porepp single would score Watson as the Raiders tied it 4-4.
A solo homer from Snyder – his second of the day – would give the Raiders a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Midland would score one in the top half of the seventh and the game would head to extra innings tied at 5-5.
Both teams had opportunity to score multiple times, but it would be Northwestern finally doing so in the tenth.
Eli Rash (So., Lake Lotawana, Mo./Summit Christian Academy) would step up to the plate with the bases with one retired. After working a full count, Rash would prove to be the hero taking ball four away to drive in the game-winning run as Northwestern won their first extra inning game at home 6-5.
Game Notes
- The extra inning Game 2 was the third game to go to extra innings at the Baseball Diamond on the season. It's the first one that the Raiders came out on top (1-2).
- Sam Stanford stays hot, picking up his first 3+ hit game of the season and extending his hit streak to 15 games.
- Stanford also picked up back-to-back multi-hit games, bringing his team-leading total up to 15 on the season.
- Eli Rash was the hero, drawing a full count walk with the bases loaded in the tenth to win the game.
- Rash has now reached base in nine-straight games and 25 of the last 28 games.
- Jaden Snyder hit his second home run of the day (3).
- Evan Olesen picks up his second multi-hit game of the season (28 games).
- Drew Dykstra got the nod on the mound, throwing 4.0 innings surrendering just four Midland hits. He struck out five and gave up three runs.
- Ben Zuetenhorst made his fifth appearance of the year – his first since March 14 against Hastings – throwing 1.0 innings.
- Colton Schuchart made his eleventh appearance of the season, throwing 5.0 innings and picking up his second win of the season (2-1).
- The freshman faced 18 Warrior hitters, striking out seven, allowing just three hits and one run.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach, Brian Wede (on the team's six home runs on the day):
"It was good to see the ball fly a little today. Guys put good swings on balls they could handle and got good results."
Wede (on Schuchart's performance out of the pen in Game 2):
"Schuchart is one of the best pitchers in our conference and pitched like it again today. I'm really proud of his resiliency and bull dog mentality."
Wede (on Watson's performance in Game 2):
"Mo (Watson) has really been swinging a hot bat. His presence in the middle of our line-up has been really important the last few games."
STAT OF THE GAME:
9 – The Raiders erupted for nine extra base hits in today's doubleheader sweep over the Midland Warriors.
SCOOTER'S PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Game 1: Sam Stanford
Game 2: Mo Watson
Up Next: The Raiders will travel to Brookings, S.D. to battle National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I foe, the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State University (11-16, 5-4 SUMMIT). The single nine-inning game is set for a 3:00 p.m. first pitcj from Erv Huether Field.
