WAVERLY, Iowa – Baseball closed out its series against the University of Dubuque by splitting a doubleheader, with the Knights taking game one 4-0 and then falling 15-1 in game two of the day. The Knights are now 11-7 overall and 2-6 in American Rivers Conference play after taking two out of three games against the Spartans.
 
Game Summaries
Game One

• Third Inning
  • After a scoreless firs two innings, Sam Nicolino broke the tie with a home run to left field to put the Knights ahead 2-0
• Fourth Inning
  • Wartburg added another run to its lead in the next inning as Eliot Jurgensen singled to right field to bring home Caleb Andrews from second
• Sixth Inning
  • Andrews scored again for the Knights after an RBI infield single from Zach Walton to make the score 4-0 Wartburg
• Eighth Inning
  • Joey Ciero finished his day on the mound after pitching eight scoreless innings with six strikeouts
• Ninth Inning
  • Will Armstrong took the mound in the ninth for the Knights and secured a 4-0 shutout win

Game Two

• First Inning
  • The Spartans got on the scoreboard right away in game two with a four-run bottom of the first
• Second Inning
  • Wartburg got one run back when Carter Stubitz was brought home from a fielder's choice
    • Knights trailed 4-1 after two innings
• Third Inning
  • Dubuque hit a two-out double that brought home two runs that pushed the UD lead to 6-1
• Fifth Inning
  • UD's strong offensive performance continued with back-to-back four-run innings in the fourth and fifth to stretch the lead to 14-1
• Seventh Inning
  • The Spartans added one more run before the game was ended after seven innings

 
Top Performers

• Game One
  • Joey Ciero
    • Win (2-0 this season)
    • Eight innings pitched
    • Zero runs allowed
    • Five strikeouts
  • Sam Nicolino
    • 1/5 at the plate
    • Home run
    • Two RBI
  • Caleb Andrews
    • 2/4 at the plate
    • Two runs scored
• Game Two
  • Carter Stubitz
    • Scored only run
    • Recorded one of teams three hits
  • Cole Wessling
    • Recorded one of teams three hits
    • Double
  • Drew Conrad
    • Recorded one of teams three hits
    • Double

 
Coaches Comments
Head Coach Casey Klunder spoke about getting an important series win on the road, "We took two out of three games on the road against a very good team so that feels like a successful weekend to keep building on as we continue our conference slate"

"Today might have been one of Joey's (Joey Ciero) best starts in a Knights Uniform," said Klunder. Ciero went a season-high eight scoreless innings for the Knights on the mound today. Klunder also spoke about Armstrong's ability to close out the end of games, "Will Armstrong continues to be lights out for us in closing opportunities this season"

Sam Nicolino broke the scoreless tie in game one with a no-doubt homer to left field. "Sam (Nicolino) got all of that baseball on that third inning home run and I think that momentum carried over to the rest of the game" said Klunder about his senior outfielder. 

"Game three obviously didn't go our way today, but I was proud of guys came in at the end and fought in the final innings today" said Klunder about the loss in game two of the day. 


Notes/Streaks

• First series win of conference play for Knights
• Game one marked the first shutout win of the season for Wartburg
• The Knights hit five doubles between two games today
• Nicolino is now third in home runs and RBI for the Knights this season
• Joey Ciero is 2-0 in decisions this season
  • Eight innings pitched is a season high for Ciero

 
Next Time Out
The Knights are in action next on Tuesday, Apr. 2 as they host No. 25 Buena Vista University at 6 p.m.