WAVERLY, Iowa – The Wartburg College baseball team fell 9-7 and 9-6 on Sunday, April 25 at Harms Stadium at Hertel Field to drop its season series versus Luther College.
The Knights' overall record moves to 12-18 and 10-14 during American Rivers Conference competition.
Luther 9, Wartburg 7
The series finale had a two hour rain delay, starting at 3 p.m. instead of 1 p.m. Luther's offense wasn't fazed by the late start, scoring runs in innings one through three to claim a 5-2 lead.
The Knights responded with a pair of runs in the first off a
Max Goodhue sacrifice fly and a
Ben DeKruyf RBI single. A
Cael Boehmer two-run double and an unearned tied the game at 5-5 after four innings.
Luther reclaimed a lead with a two-run sixth inning and plated a couple more to extend its lead to 9-5 heading into the bottom half of the final inning.
Wartburg started a rally in the bottom half, scoring two runs off four hits to come up two runs short.
Defensive errors plagued the Knights as they committed a season-high five in the field.
Zachary Walton and DeKruyf each tallied two base hits. Starting pitcher
Joey Ciero suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched.
Luther 9, Wartburg 6
The Knights opened the second game's scoring in the third inning, led off with a solo homer from
Carter Stubitz. Wartburg added a couple more runs off five hits, runs batted in by
Parker Ridge and Walton as the home team claimed a 3-0 lead.
William Armstrong started the night cap on the mound for the Knights and held the Norse scoreless through the first four innings until a two-run home run from Noah Sebben and a sacrifice fly knotted the game at 3-3.
The Orange & Black answered back in the bottom half, pushing one run across with a bases loaded fielder's choice from
Brett Kelting that scored Goodhue.
In the sixth inning, Luther scored three runs off three hits to earn its first lead of the game at 6-4. The Knights had another answer, responding with two runs off a
Keaton Gray double and sacrifice fly from Goodhue to tie the game at 6-6.
Aaron Eybers came in relief of Armstrong in the seventh and saw Luther change the lead again, scoring a pair off two three hits, moving to the score to 8-6 in the favor of the Norse.
Luther added another in the eighth inning while relief pitcher Collin Chalmers held the Knights scoreless in the final 3.1 innings to earn the save and secure the series sweep for the Norse.
The Knights' 15 hits as a team is tied for the second most this season. Ridge, Goodhue, and DeKruyf tallied three hits apiece.
Eybers took the loss, setting his season record at 1-5.
Up Next
Wartburg continues its homestand next week, hosting a four-game series versus Luther College. The series will open with a doubleheader on Thursday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. and conclude with another doubleheader on Saturday, May 1.
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