WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg's high-powered offense led to a sweep over Martin Luther College in a doubleheader on Monday, Mar. 21 at home. The Orange & Black are now 10-7 overall and in non-conference play.
Game Summaries
Game 1: Wartburg 15, Martin Luther 3
The Knights of Martin Luther College struck first in game one with a solo homerun to center field to make it 1-0 early, but it was the only hit of the inning for MLC. Wartburg answered in the bottom of the first after back-to-back doubles from
Eliot Jurgensen and
Keaton Gray to tie it up at one. Later in the inning,
Zach Wesolowski singled to score Gray making the score 2-1.
MLC scored to tie it up again in the second after a triple and a single, but again
Dreyton LaVeine got out of the inning with just one run allowed after closing the inning with two strikeouts. In the bottom of the second Wartburg retook the lead after
Carter Stubitz scored from a passed ball.
Martin Luther ended its scoring streak in the top of the third, but in the bottom of the inning Wartburg's offense broke the game open with eight runs scored.
Ben DeKruyf got the huge inning started with a two-run homerun to left.
Will Armstrong and Jurgensen both doubled to score another and then another run was walked in.
Zach Walton capped off the inning with a grand slam over the left field fence to make it 11-2 after three innings.
The MLC Knights were able to get one run back in the next frame but were held scoreless the rest of the game. The bats stayed hot for Wartburg in the fourth with a solo shot from Jurgensen and a double from Wesolowski to put the score at 12-3.
Gray, Wesolowski, and Walton all recorded RBI singles in the bottom of the fifth to put Wartburg's lead at 15-3. The Orange & Black didn't allow a hit the last two innings and secured a 15-3 win in game one.
The Knights hit five doubles and three homeruns in game one and did not have a batter strikeout until the sixth inning. Walton led the way at the plate with a 3-3 performance and a team-high five RBI. His homerun marked his third of the season. Wesolowski also finished 3-3 with 3 RBI and drew two walks. His homerun marked the second of the season.
LaVeine earned the win on the mound today to move to 2-1 overall this season. The sophomore pitched five innings today and struck out six batters with only one walk.
Max Hansen made his first appearance on the mound this season and closed the last two innings for the Orange & Black with no hits allowed and one strikeout.
Game 2: Wartburg 15, Martin Luther 0
The nightcap began with two scoreless innings after Martin Luther escaped a bases loaded situation in the second inning. The Orange & Black got the scoring started in the bottom of the third after Walton homered to right-center field for his second of the doubleheader to make it 3-0 Wartburg. Later that inning,
Cael Boehmer hit a double that advanced
Caleb Andrews to third. Both would score on the bases after an error by the catcher and a wild pitch. Wartburg was not finished in the inning as Jurgensen singled to bring in two more runs, making the score 7-0 after three innings.
The Wartburg Knights kept the offensive clinic going in the fourth inning as they would put up five more runs. The inning started with doubles from Wesolowski and Walton and then Walton later scored after a passed ball.
Garrett Helm was walked with the bases loaded in a pinch-hit opportunity to bring in another run and the last run of the fourth came from a fielder's choice hit by Gray.
After another hitless inning for MLC, Wartburg scored two more in the fifth from a DeKruyf double to center field that cleared the bases. Martin Luther recorded its second hit of the game in the sixth inning but were unable to score a run in the nightcap. An Andrews single to the gap brought the final run home of the game to give the Knights a 15-0 win.
Wartburg hit another five doubles in ths game to tie a season-high and drew 10 walks as a team. Walton hit another homerun for his fourth of the season and he was perfect again from the plate going 4-4. The sophomore finished the doubleheader with two homeruns and was 7-7 from the plate with nine RBI and two walks drawn.
DeKruyf and Jurgensen both tallied 2 RBI and one extra-base hit in game two to help lead the Knights.
Armstrong started on the bump in game two and earned his second win of the season. The sophomore right hander went four innings with three strikeouts recorded and just one hit allowed.
The Orange & Black closed the game with three pitchers getting an inning each.
CJ Christopher entered the game in the fifth inning and allowed no hits in his first appearance of the season.
Kyle Oberbroeckling made his first appearance of the season in the sixth, where he allowed one hit and struck out two batters.
Kyle Thompson closed the final inning with one strikeout and no hits allowed.
Next Time Out
The Knights are in action next when they open American Rivers Conference play on Friday, Mar. 25 with a three-game series against Coe College on the road.
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