WAVERLY, Iowa – Baseball continued American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) play with a 9-6 win over Luther on Wednesday, Apr. 2. The win brought Wartburg to 11-8 overall and 5-3 in A-R-C play, while Luther is now 5-15 overall and 1-6 in conference play.
 
Game Summary

• 1^st Inning
  • After singles from both Griffin Troha and Zach Walton, Carter Stubitz came to the plate and crushed a three-run shot to right centerfield to put Wartburg ahead 3-0 early
• 2^nd Inning
  • Luther responded with three runs to tie the game in the top of the second after a pair of RBI doubles brought in three runners for the Norse
• 3^rd Inning
  • Mark Prince hit a solo shot home run to centerfield to give Luther a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the third
  • Walton answered in the bottom half with a solo shot homer of his own to right centerfield to tie the game at 4-4
• 4^th Inning
  • Luther retook the lead in the fourth after scoring one run from a fielder's choice and another from a wild pitch to make the score 6-4 headed to the bottom of the fourth
• 5^th Inning
  • The Knights were able to tie the game up in the sixth inning after an RBI double from Griffin Troha followed by a Walton RBI single that scored Caleb Andrews and Troha to make it 6-6 after five innings
• 6^th Inning
  • Following a 1-2-3 top of the sixth, Wiley Sullivan started the bottom half with a leadoff triple for the Knights before Andrews singled up the middle to score one run
  • Troha reached on a fielder's choice to bring Walton to the plate where he homered for a second time in the game to give Wartburg a 9-6 lead headed into the seventh inning
• 9^th inning
  • Conner Funk closed the game out on the mound for the Knights with a three-up and three-down inning to give Wartburg a 9-6 win at home

 
Top Performers

• Zach Walton
  • 4/5
  • Four RBI
  • Three runs scored
  • Two home runs
• Carter Stubitz
  • 3/5
  • Three RBI
  • Home run
  • One run scored
• Griffin Troha
  • 2/5
  • Three runs scored
  • RBI
  • Double
• Wartburg Bullpen
  • Alex Berends, Hunter Sehr, Kyle Thompson and Conner Funk
    • Five-straight scoreless innings to close the game
    • Five strikeouts

 
Coach's Comments
"I the MVP in our win tonight was the bullpen," said head coach Casey Klunder. "To go out there and put up five-straight scoreless innings against an offense like this with the wind blowing out is unheard of."
 
We have two senior leaders who are unbelievable at the plate right now in Zach Walton and Carter Stubitz," Klunder continued. "That's what we need our seniors to do in big moments and both Stubitz in the first inning and Walton multiple times got that done for us tonight."
 
Notes/Streaks

• Wartburg is now 2-1 at home this season
• Walton hit his sixth and seventh home run of the season
  • Now at 33 in his career, which has tied the career record at Wartburg
• Sixth career multi-home run game for Walton in his career
  • First of 2025
• First career win on the mound at Wartburg for Berends
• Stubitz recorded his fifth home run of the season
• First career save for Co. Funk
• Wartburg batted 4/10 with runners in scoring position today

 
Next Time Out
The Knights will be back in action next on Friday, Apr. 4 at home against Central College at 6 p.m. to begin a three-game series.