WAVERLY, Iowa – The Wartburg College baseball team (12-7 overall, 3-4 A-R-C) responded to a game one setback with an 11-10 victory in the series finale against Central College Saturday at Hertel Field.

Andrew Gallegos powered the Knights in the finale, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, four RBI and three runs scored. Griffin Troha, Bode Nagelmaker and Liam Bender also homered as Wartburg totaled a season-high five long balls in the win and six on the weekend.

Central (9-11 overall, 4-2 A-R-C) secured the series with a 14-12 win in game one after also taking Friday's opener, 6-5.
 
GAME ONE – Central 14, Wartburg 12
Central used a four-run first inning, highlighted by a two-out rally, to take early control. Andrew Robinson put Wartburg on the board in the second with an RBI double, while Troha followed with a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Keegan Schmitt opened the third with his first home run of the season to bring the Knights within one, 4-3, before the Dutch responded with a six-run fourth inning to extend their lead to 10-3.

Wartburg chipped away, as Troha delivered an RBI triple and Drew Conrad added a sacrifice fly to make it 10-5 through four innings. After Central pushed its lead to 11-5, the Knights mounted a rally in the sixth, capitalizing on walks, a balk and an RBI from Gallegos to pull within 11-8.

The Knights took their first lead in the seventh. Robinson and Charlie Krueger opened the inning with back-to-back doubles, while Troha drew a bases-loaded walk and Scott followed with a two-RBI single to give Wartburg a 12-11 advantage.

Central answered late, tying the game in the eighth before reclaiming the lead in the ninth on a leadoff triple and RBI single. The Dutch added an insurance run to secure the 14-12 decision.
 
GAME TWO – Wartburg 11, Central 10
Central jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of solo home runs in the first, but Wartburg responded with a five-run second inning. Nagelmaker launched a three-run homer before Troha added a two-run shot to give the Knights a 5-2 lead.

Gallegos extended the advantage in the third with a two-run home run, pushing the lead to 7-2. Central answered with a two-run homer of its own, but Bender added insurance in the sixth with a two-run blast to make it 9-4.

The Dutch surged ahead in the seventh, scoring six runs to take a 10-9 lead. Gallegos delivered the decisive blow in the bottom half, belting his second two-run home run of the game to lift Wartburg to the 11-10 victory.

Conner Funk (2-1) earned the win in relief, tossing 2.2 hitless innings with two strikeouts.

TAKE NOTE

• Robinson was hit by a pitch for the 16th time this season, ranking among the top five nationally.
• Wartburg recorded six home runs in the series, including five in the finale.
• Troha hit .500 on the weekend with six hits, including a triple and a home run, and five RBI.
• Gallegos led the Knights with six RBI and hit two home runs in the finale.
• Robinson totaled four doubles and hit .455 with three RBI.
• Wartburg leads the all-time series 62-35, including a 37-22 mark at home.

 
"It was a high-scoring day with the wind blowing straight out, and for Conner Funk to come in and slam the door was the key to the win," head coach Casey Klunder said postgame. "Andrew Gallegos really swung it well for us in game two and got us off to a great start offensively.

"For most of the weekend, we had quality at-bats throughout the lineup. If we're going to be in close games like this all year, we have to find ways to come out on top."

The Knights have played three conference opponents this season, in which every game has ended within two runs.
 
UP NEXT
Wartburg hosts Nebraska Wesleyan next weekend at Harms Stadium at Hertel Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, April 3, followed by a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at Noon.