The Norse baseball team traveled to Pella, Iowa for the final two games of this three-game series against the Dutch of Central College. Game one was played in Decorah on Monday, April 15 with the Dutch securing the victory 8-3. Today, Central won game one 6-5 and Luther won the nightcap 14-4 in seven innings. Luther is now 10-7 in the A-R-C and tied for third place with Loras College. Luther also set a new record of 35 home runs in a single season breaking the previous record of 32 set in 2005.
Game One: Central 6, Luther 5
Central did all of its damage in the third and seventh innings scoring three runs in both frames. Declan O'Hare hit a two-run hom run in the second and Caleb Douglas did the same in the seventh. Colton DeRocher also hit a solo shot in the seventh.
Luther took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a two-run double by
Joshua Matanich. Matanich, who finished the game going 3-for-4 at the plate, hit a home run in the sixth and led the team with three rbi.
Noah Pinette was also credited with an rbi.
Mark Prince,
Cullen Stamp and
Noah Dutler all had two hits.
Anthony Esposito (2-1) was credited with the loss. Esposito took over for Harrison Blum who threw the first four frames and allowed two earned runs on five hits, walked one and struck out six. Esposito threw three complete and allowed three earned runs on five hits, walked one and struck out two.
Game Two: Luther 14, Central 4 (7 innings)
In the nightcap the Norse bats came alive scoring 14 runs on 15 hits. The Norse scored a run in both the first and third innings, six in the second and three in both the fifth and seventh frames that secured the seven inning victory.
Noah Kindem was 4-for-4 with four rbi. Kindem drove in a run in both the third and fifth innings and capped off the evening with a two-run blast in the seventh.
Prince went 3-for-5 at the plate and drove in three runs.
Gavin Scurr, who was 3-for-4, Matanich and
Gabe Atkins were all credited with one rbi. Matanich hit his seventh home run of the year in the second inning.
Charles Running (2-3) was credited with the win. Running pitched the first four innings and allowed three runs on three hits, walked six and struck out two.
Brendan Scoonover was credited with the save. He faced 11 batters in three innings, allowed one run on one hit, did not issue a walk and struck out four.
Up Next: Luther is scheduled to travel to Nebraska Wesleyan University for a three-game series this Friday and Saturday, April 26-27. Friday's game will begin at 3 p.m. and Saturday's double header will begin at Noon.
