Michael Callahan belted two home runs and totaled a season-high six RBIs in leading top-seed Northwestern to an 8-7 win over No.8 Briar Cliff in the second game of the GPAC Baseball Tournament-Northwestern Bracket played tonight in Orange City, Iowa.
The Red Raiders improve to 27-18 overall and advance to play No.4 seed Hastings (Neb.) at noon on Saturday, May 5 in a winner’s bracket game. Hastings defeated Morningside in game one 8-1.
Callahan began his big day with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, putting the hosts up 2-0 early. After Briar Cliff put a run across in the fifth, Callahan added a two-run single in the bottom of the inning, scoring both Christian Stekl and Reed Smith. The senior capped his big night with his second home run, another two-run shot, in the seventh inning.
Victor Mena (3-3) picked up the win, giving up nine hits and five runs in seven-plus strong innings. Josh Lucken pitched a scoreless eighth and Tanner Ortlund notched his ninth save.
Northwestern accounted for 10 hits, led by Callahan, and Martin went 2-for-4 with an RBI. A.J. Nitzschke added a solo home run in the sixth, his third round-tripper of the season. Stekl reached base three times and scored three runs for Coach Wede’s club.
Nicholas Cole took the loss for Briar Cliff, giving up seven hits and five runs in 4.1 innings. Cole struck out eight and fell to 1-2 on the year. Brady Harpenau, Logan Adam and Avery Foltz all had two hits for the Chargers and Mateo Shannon hit a two-run home run off Ortlund in the top of the ninth to make it a one-run game.
