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Julie Drewes

Baseball Ben Woods

Baseball Opens 2024 Season With 12-4 Win

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Wartburg baseball opened the 2024 season with a 12-4 win over Grove City College at the RussMatt Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 25.
 
Game Summary
  • First Inning
    • After a scoreless top half, Grove City got on the board first in the bottom half
  •  Second Inning
  • Third Inning
    • Grove City tied it back up in the third
  • Fifth Inning
    • Zach Walton tripled and then scored on a balk to give Wartburg a 4-3 lead
    • The Knights added another run after Noah Day brought Stubitz home
  • Sixth Inning
    • Wartburg added another run after Walton drove in Gray to make the score 6-3
  • Seventh Inning
    • Wartburg stretched the lead to 9-3 after Caleb Andrews hit a two-RBI triple and then scored himself after a passed ball
  • Eighth Inning
    • Sam Nicolino hit a three-run homer in the eighth to put Wartburg ahead 12-3
    • Grove City added one run in the bottom half to cut the lead to eight
  • Ninth Inning
    • Will Armstrong closed the game with a 1-2-3 inning on the mound in bottom of the ninth
 
Top Performers
  • Sam Nicolino
    • 1/3 at the plate
      • Home run
      • Three RBI
      • Three walks
    • Two runs scored
  • Caleb Andrews
    • 1/3 at the plate
      • Triple
      • Two RBI
    • Two runs scored
  • Zach Walton
    • 1/4 at the plate
      • Triple
      • RBI
    • Run scored
 
Coaches Comments
"I'm really proud of this team's effort to open the season by beating a 4-0 team that won 30 games last season," said head coach Casey Klunder. "I credit the win to our guys' high energy and high level of character."
 
Klunder spoke on pitching from today's contest, "Boehmer did what veteran do and got us to a win today, despite not having his best stuff today and in relief we had veteran arms come in, including some good innings from Max Hansen." Will Armstrong returned to play after a health scare earlier this school year, "Will Armstrong closed out the game for us on the mound in the ninth," continued Klunder. "It was so great to see him playing baseball"
 
"Nicolino is a wonderful young man and it was great to see him get rewarded with a home run after all the work he's put in," said Klunder.
 
Next Time Out
Wartburg continues play at the RussMatt Invitational Monday, Feb. 26 against Alma College at 1:15 p.m. eastern time and then later against Houghton University at 4:30 p.m. eastern time.
 
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Players Mentioned

Max Hansen

#18 Max Hansen

RHP
5' 10"
Fifth Year
Wiley Sullivan

#3 Wiley Sullivan

SS/2B
5' 10"
Junior
Zach Walton

#17 Zach Walton

1B
6' 0"
Senior
Will Armstrong

#5 Will Armstrong

SS/RHP
5' 11"
Senior
Eliot Jurgensen

#25 Eliot Jurgensen

OF
6' 0"
Junior
Caleb Andrews

#27 Caleb Andrews

2B/SS
6' 1"
Senior
Noah Day

#22 Noah Day

OF/1B
6' 1"
Sophomore
Keaton Gray

#1 Keaton Gray

3B
6' 1"
Senior
Sam Nicolino

#7 Sam Nicolino

OF
5' 11"
Senior
Garrett Kadolph

#40 Garrett Kadolph

1B
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Max Hansen

#18 Max Hansen

5' 10"
Fifth Year
RHP
Wiley Sullivan

#3 Wiley Sullivan

5' 10"
Junior
SS/2B
Zach Walton

#17 Zach Walton

6' 0"
Senior
1B
Will Armstrong

#5 Will Armstrong

5' 11"
Senior
SS/RHP
Eliot Jurgensen

#25 Eliot Jurgensen

6' 0"
Junior
OF
Caleb Andrews

#27 Caleb Andrews

6' 1"
Senior
2B/SS
Noah Day

#22 Noah Day

6' 1"
Sophomore
OF/1B
Keaton Gray

#1 Keaton Gray

6' 1"
Senior
3B
Sam Nicolino

#7 Sam Nicolino

5' 11"
Senior
OF
Garrett Kadolph

#40 Garrett Kadolph

6' 2"
Sophomore
1B