Wartburg College Athletics

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Wartburg College baseball team (21-14 overall, 12-11 A-R-C) secured its spot in the conference tournament with a doubleheader sweep of the University of Dubuque (12-25 overall, 7-16 A-R-C) Friday at Dan W. Runkle Baseball Field.

The Knights rallied late in game one, using Krueger's bases-clearing double to pull away for a 10-8 victory, before completing the sweep with a 6-2 win in game two.

Wartburg will aim for its second conference series sweep of the season on Sunday, May 3, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
 
GAME ONE – Wartburg 10, Dubuque 8
Wartburg made an early ruckus on the basepaths, as Griffin Troha reached due to an error on the Spartans second basemen and Andrew Robinson drawing a five-pitch walk. Jayden Scott followed with an RBI-single to plate Troha, and Andrew Gallegos loaded the bases with a single through the left side of the infield. Charlie Krueger made it 2-0 on a fielder's choice, as the Knights' first four batters reached safely. Bode Nagelmaker drove in Wartburg's third run of the opening frame with a single to left, as Wartburg put up a three-hit, three-run top half of the first.

Making his 11th start of the season, Emerson Albherhasky sat down a pair of Spartans in the bottom half, as the scored held 3-0 in favor of the Knights.

Wartburg's fourth run came across in the second, as Robinson singled up the middle to plate Bender, who reached on another Dubuque error, to make it 4-0 through two and a half.

The Spartans cut the Knights' lead in half with two runs in the second, as Alberhasky limited the damage with his third strikeout to end the frame.

The Knights were held in check up until the fifth inning, as Tanner Jackson sent a liner to right for a double, quickly followed by Nagelmaker's RBI-double to make it 5-2. Dubuque went to a new arm after Wartburg drew a pair of walks, after Nagelmaker doubled, to load the bases. Troha welcomed the new arm with a two-RBI single up the gut to give Wartburg a 7-2 advantage.

The Spartans opened the fifth with their third-consecutive leadoff single, later scoring a run to make it a four-run game at 7-3.

Miles Mudd took the mound in the sixth, as Alberhasky tossed five complete innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits, five strikeouts and issuing four walks. Dubuque's offense clicked, as it went for a five-hit, three-run frame to claim a one-run lead over Wartburg.

In the eighth, Robinson drew his second walk of the contest with two outs, as Scott singled to advance. Gallegos was hit by a pitch to load the bases once again for the Knights, as Krueger stepped up and roped the go-ahead three-RBI double into the right center gap to help Cael Funk (4-1) slam the door in the ninth to earn his fourth win of the season, after tossing the final 2.2 innings, allowing no hits, no runs and striking out a pair of Spartans.
 
GAME TWO – Wartburg 6, Dubuque 2
Troha led off game two with the exact same outcome as the opener, as he reached first due to an error by the Spartans middle infield. Robinson followed with an infield single, as Scott plated Troha an another Dubuque miscue to take an early 1-0 lead. Gallegos followed with an RBI-double to right center to bring home Robinson, later crossing the plate on a wild pitch to lead 3-0 after the opening frame.

Owen Greco (3-3) sat down the first two batters he faced, while working a three-up, three-down first inning. In the second, Greco worked around a leadoff triple, as he tallied his fourth strikeout of the game.

The Spartans found their first run of the game in the third inning; however, Greco was up to six strikeouts through the first three innings of work, 3-1.

Robinson brought home Bender, who doubled, on a sacrifice fly to regain the three-run lead at 4-1 in the fourth. Dubuque answered right back with a run of its own in the home half.

Gallegos began the fifth inning with his second three-bagger of the season; however, the Knights were unable to scratch a run across as the score remained 4-2 after the fifth.

Robinson brought in his second RBI in the sixth with an RBI-single up the middle to extend Wartburg's lead out to three once again.

Greco's day was done after a strong showing through six complete innings. Greco (4-3) allowed just six hits, two runs (both earned), two walks and striking out seven, as Conner Funk (5) made his 13th appearance in relief.

Wartburg added on to its lead with some insurance runs in the top of the ninth, as Krueger smacked his fifth long-ball of the season to make it a 6-2 doubleheader sweep as the Funk brothers closed the remainder of each game today – Co. Funk finished his save appearance with 3.0 innings, allowed just two hits, no runs and struck out a career-high seven batters. 
 
TAKE NOTE
Wartburg has clinched a spot into its 31st A-R-C tournament…The Knights are 4-6 on the road this season…Overall, the Knights have been hit by a pitch a total of 79 times this season to tie the single season record mark of 79 set in 2024…Career-high seven strikeouts for Conner Funk…Krueger drove in five RBI on the day with two hits (double, home run) and two walks…Gallegos tallied his second triple of the season with four hits in nine at-bats in both games…Robinson went 3-for-6 in both games with three RBI and three walks…Alberhasky brings his season strikeout total to 91…Wartburg's pitching staff combined for 22 strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
Wartburg will look for the series sweep against Dubuque on Sunday, May 3 at 1 p.m.