WAVERLY, Iowa – Wartburg baseball picked up a huge 8-5 home win over Buena Vista University on Tuesday, April 2. The Knights move to 12-7 overall and 3-4 in American Rivers Conference play.
 
Game Summary
First Inning

• The Beavers got on the scoreboard first in the top half to take an early 1-0 lead
• Wartburg answered in the bottom half as Keaton Gray singled to start the inning and then came around to score on a Zach Walton RBI single

Third Inning

• Gray came around to score on another RBI single by Walton to put the Knights ahead one
• Eliot Jurgensen came around to score on an RBI fielder's choice by Sam Nicolino to push the Knights lead to 3-1

Fourth Inning

• BVU tied the game up at three in the top of the fourth with a two RBI single
• The Beavers took the lead two at-bats later scoring on a wild pitch to make it 4-3 BVU
• The Knights responded in the bottom half as Noah Day scored on a wild pitch to knot the score at four
• Cole Wessling came around to score on an RBI groundout by Gray to put Wartburg ahead 5-4 after four innings

Sixth Inning

• A bases loaded sacrifice fly from Gray brought Goeschel across the plate to make the score 6-4
• Walton reached on a bases-loaded error which brought Wiley Sullivan in to push the Knights lead to three
• The Knights added one more run as Caleb Andrews scored on a Sam Nicolino sacrifice fly to put Wartburg ahead 8-4 after six innings

Seventh Inning

• The Beavers responded in the top of the seventh with an RBI single to cut the deficit to three

Ninth Inning

• Will Armstrong entered in the ninth and closed out the game as the Knights won 8-5

 
Top Performers

• Zach Walton
  • Two hits
  • Three RBI
  • Two walks
• Keaton Gray
  • Two hits
  • Two RBI
  • Two runs scored
• Cael Funk
  • Four innings pitched
  • Five strikeouts
  • Earned the decision

 
Coaches Comments
"Buena Vista has one of the top scoring offenses in the country," said Head Coach Casey Klunder in his postgame thoughts. "For Nick, Cael and Will to hold them down like they did was huge."
 
Klunder talked more in depth on what he saw from Funk today, "This was the longest outing for Cael so far this year and he answered the call and gave us what we needed to get this win today."
 
"Today was a day we knew we'd need to execute well in order to win and I think we did that well whether it was a sac bunt, drag bunt or timely hitting" said Klunder about his spread out offensive attack today.
 
Klunder also shouted out the Knights fans who braved the weather today in Waverly, "Huge thank you to the fans who came out here and supported us today, especially really cool to see a part of the football team in the stands reciprocating the support we gave them in the fall."
 
 
Notes/Streaks

• First win over BVU since the 2022 season
  • All-time series moves to 80-66 in favor of Wartburg
• First collegiate win on the mound for Funk
• Third save this season for Armstrong
• Walton now leads the Knights in RBI this season with 24
• Nicolino now has 20 RBI this season

 
Next Time Out
The Knights will continue their homestand on Friday, Apr. 5 against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 6 p.m.