WAVERLY, Iowa --- Baseball began a three-game series against Nebraska Wesleyan University on a cold and windy day at Harms Stadium at Hertel Field where NWU took game one of the series 7-1 on Saturday, Apr. 4.
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The Knights trailed by two or less runs for eight innings before the Prairie Wolves opened the game up with a five-run top of the ninth inning to secure a 7-1 win. Wartburg's starting pitcher
Emerson Alberhasky struck out nine batters during his 6 2/3 inning outing and allowed just one earned run.
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Game Summary
- First Inning
- Following a scoreless top of the first, Andrew Gallegos hit a single for the first Wartburg hit of the game but the Knights couldn't bring him home as the score remained 0-0
- Second Inning
- NWU hit a lead off double to begin the second inning that eventually led to the first run of the game after a fielding error in the outfield allowed the runner to score unearned
- The Knights couldn't answer with a run of their own despite a single from Bode Nagelmaker
- Fourth Inning
- Wartburg still trailed 1-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Andrew Robinson led off the inning with a double off the fence in right center field
- NWU was able to escape the jam and kept the score 1-0 headed to the fifth
- Fifth Inning
- The Prairie Wolves struck again in the fifth inning a high fly ball from Jake Shedarowich carried over the right field fence to push the NWU lead to 2-0
- Seventh Inning
- The Knights tried to rally with two outs in the seventh when Liam Bender doubled down the left field line to give the Knights their first hit since the fourth inning
- Wartburg was unable to bring any runners across in the seventh as the Prairie Wolves held a 2-0 lead
- Ninth Inning
- Following another scoreless inning in the eighth, the Prairie Wolves exploded offensively for five runs off four hits, including four-straight RBI singles to take a 7-0 lead heading into the final frame
- Charlie Kruger led the Knight's bottom half off with a double to left field and then eventually scored following a stolen base and a fielding error
- The Knights couldn't bring any more runs across as NWU took game one 7-1
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From Coach Klunder
Head Coach
Casey Klunder spoke with KnightVision announcer Caleb Kammerer postgame to talk about game one of the series.
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"Alberhasky was definitely a bright spot today," said Klunder when asked about his starting pitcher's performance. "He was attacking batters right away in the counts and continued to get stronger as the game went on."
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Klunder spoke about the team's struggle to produce runs today, "There were some hard-hit balls that didn't go our way today, but it came down to not stringing enough good at bats together up and down the lineup."
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Looking ahead to tomorrow's doubleheader, Klunder said "We certainly need to have a better day offensively. We left a lot of runners out there today that we're going to need to bring home tomorrow. It comes down to needing more confidence and conviction at the plate."
Top Performers
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Notes/Streaks
- Wartburg is now 15-13 all time against Nebraska Wesleyan
- Fourth-straight loss in the series
- Team-leading sixth double of the season for Robinson
- Wartburg struck 13 batters out compared to NWU's five
- Alberhasky now has 57 strikeouts in seven appearances for the Knights this season
- NWU held Wartburg to a season low one run, despite Wartburg's six hits
- Aidan Smith made his collegiate debut on the mound for the Knights and recorded his first career strikeout
- Wartburg has drawn five or more walks in five-straight games
- Following today, the Knights are 17/26 in stolen base attempts as a team
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Next Time Out
The Knights will be in action next tomorrow (Apr. 5) for an Easter doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. at Harms Stadium at Hertel Field
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