WAVERLY, Iowa – Knights baseball went 1-1 in today's doubleheader against Simpson College on Sunday, Apr. 24 to clinch the regular season series against the Storm two games to one. The Orange & Black are now overall 21-14 and move to 11-7 in American Rivers Conference play.
Game Summaries
Game 1: Wartburg 10, Simpson 4
Each team started with a hitless first inning at the plate and then got their first hit in the second inning. Simpson's hit was a single that led to a double play the next at bat and Wartburg's was a double by
Zach Wesolowski.
After another one-hit inning for the Storm, the Orange & Black got the scoring started with four runs in the bottom of the third. The inning was started with a double to left field from
Keaton Gray, who was later brought home by a
Max Goodhue single for the first run.
Ben DeKruyf hit into a fielder choice that scored another run and then Wesolowski doubled again to score a third run. The fourth run came from a bases-loaded walk that was drawn by
Bryce Butler.
The Storm answered in the top of the fourth with one run after a single and an error made the score 4-1. Goodhue singled again to leadoff the bottom half of the fourth but was hit into a double play.
Will Armstrong came in to pitch to start the top of the fifth after
Darren Kilpatrick went four innings in his start. Both teams were held hitless in the fifth and the score remained 4-1.
Simpson recorded one hit in the sixth inning and stranded the only runner. Gray and
Zach Walton both singled to start the bottom of the sixth, but the Storm escaped the jam and stranded both Wartburg runners. The Storm added a run to make the score 4-2 and then held Wartburg hitless in the bottom of the seventh.
Goodhue started the scoring in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double. The next three runs came from multiple sacrifice fly's and a walk. Butler singled to score another and then Gray hit an RBI double down the right field line to make the score 10-2. Despite giving up two runs in the ninth, the Knights secured a 10-4 win.
Butler, Goodhue, and Wesolowski all hit two RBI to lead Wartburg at the plate. Goodhue finished the contest 3/6 and he scored two runs along with his two RBI.
Kilpatrick went four innings in his start today and allowed just four hits. Armstrong earned the win in his two innings of relief where he allowed no runs and one hit. He is now 3-0 in decisions on the mound.
Joey Ciero pitched the final three innings and struck out six batters while closing the win.
Game 2: Wartburg 5, Simpson 6
Neither team scored in the opening inning, but the Knights got on the board in the bottom of the second after DeKruyf scored on a passed ball and then a
Carter Stubitz groundout brought in another run.
Dreyton LaVeine got the start on the mound and escaped the third inning with a double play to keep the score at 2-0.
A double in the fourth inning led the Storm to their first run after a single scored the run to make it 2-1 Knights still in front. Wartburg went three up and three down in the bottom half of the fourth.
Kyle Oberbroeckling came in to pitch to start the fifth inning and retired the side three up and three down. A Gray single in the bottom of the fifth brought Stubitz home to score to extend the lead to 3-1.
Kolton Arnold homered in the sixth to cut the deficit back to one for the Storm, while the Orange & Black got three hits in the bottom half but scored no runs.
Cael Boehmer came in to pitch for the Knights and allowed no hits in the seventh. With two outs, Gray singled and later scored after Goodhue tripled. Goodhue was drove home by Walton with a single to center field to make the score 5-2 after seven innings.
In the top of the eighth, Simpson scored four runs to take the lead for the first time in the contest. The runs came from three separate singles. The Knights had no answer in the bottom half of the inning, and it was 6-5 Simpson heading to the final inning. Wartburg couldn't rally in the final frame and dropped the final game of the three-game series.
The Orange & Black finished the contest with four players tied for a team-high one RBI. Gray and Walton were the only Knights with multi-hit games as they were 2/5 and 2/4 respectively.
Goodhue had the only extra-base hit for Wartburg in game two with his triple in the seventh inning. The triple is his fifth of the season, which currently leads the A-R-C.
Four pitchers saw action on the mound in game two for the Knights. LaVeine started and pitched the most innings with four. Boehmer earned a loss in the game with one inning pitched to move his record to 1-1.
Aaron Eybers closed the final two innings on the mound and allowed no runs and three hits.
Next Time Out
The Knights continue conference play with a three-game road series against Loras beginning on Friday, Apr. 29 at 6 p.m.
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