SEWARD, Neb. – The Northwestern College baseball team (11-13, 3-5 GPAC) took the field for the second day of the four-game set with the Concordia Bulldogs (18-7-1, 7-1 GPAC) in a windy Seward, Neb. as the Raiders dropped their second walk-off game of the weekend (7-5), before erupting for 14 runs in the second game, winning 14-13.
The final game of the four-game set was marked by three 4+ run innings for the two teams combined. Between the two sides: 40 players used, 27 runs, 27 hits, 13 pitchers – in the four hour and 12-minute series finale. The Raiders used a nine-run eighth inning to take the 13-12 lead, before eventually securing the 14-13 win in the final frame.
GAME 1: (RV) Concordia 7, Northwestern 5 (F/7)
Despite a furious four-run seventh inning to send the game to the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs would come away with their second-straight walk-off victory of the series with a walk-off home run. Five different Raiders drove in a run and also scored a run in the contest.
Kirkeby started the game on a high note, striking out two of the first three Bulldogs he faced. In the second inning, Concordia would put up the first run of the day with a home run to right field, taking advantage of the left-to-right field win to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
The third and fourth innings went by quietly for both sides, though the Raiders would put runners on second and third in the third inning, but could not push across any runs to draw even with Concordia. Concordia pushed across four more runs in the fifth to extend their lead late in the seven-inning contest to 5-0.
Northwestern’s bats finally started getting to Bulldog starter Christian Gutierrez. Kip Cullinan (Jr., Urbandale, Iowa/Urbandale) got a charge into a ball, getting it up in the wind, for his team-leading sixth home run of the season – a no doubter over the right field wall, as the Raiders put their first run on the board (5-1 CUNE).
Isaac Thurm (Jr., Humboldt, Iowa/Humboldt) had a pinch hit at-bat to begin the seventh inning and he would take the third pitch he saw and deposit it over the right field fence to cut the Concordia lead to 5-2. It marked Thurm’s first-career home run.
The seventh inning rally continued for the Raiders as Mason Porepp (So., Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk) would get hit by a pitch and a double down the left field line from Evan Olesen (So., Estherville, Iowa/Estherville Lincoln Central) put runners on second and third, with no one out. Following a Concordia pitching change, a productive out from Jaden Snyder (Jr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) plated Porepp, making it 5-3 Concordia.
The comeback continued in force for Northwestern as an RBI double from Drew Dykstra (Fr., Urbandale, Iowa/Urbandale) scored Olesen as the Raiders cut the deficit to just one (5-4). Ty Martens (Fr., Elizabeth, Colo./Ponderosa) would step to the plate in a pinch-hit appearance and would work himself a walk. Cullinan would work a walk to load the bases with one out for Sam Stanford (So., Los Angeles, Calif./Pacifica Christian). Stanford would do his job with a deep fly out to fight field on the warning track, as Dykstra would come across to tie the game at 5-5.
Dykstra led the offense going 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored. Both Cullinan and Thurm went deep, taking advantage of the wind blowing out to right field. Olesen also recorded a double in his one pinch hit at-bat.
On the bump in Game 1 was Dylan Kirkeby (So., Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley) went 4.1 innings, putting together a solid outing for the Raiders keeping them in the game. He gave up five hits, allowed five runs to a potent Bulldog line-up. He struck out six hitters while surrendered four walks on the day.
Shane Geurink (So., Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk) entered in relief with one out and the bases loaded in the fifth inning for the Red Raiders. He would escape the inning after one hit that plated two Bulldog runs. Brady Nicolet (Jr., Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) took the mound in the sixth inning – his third appearance of the season. The junior had a perfect three-up-three-down frame to keep the Bulldogs off the board.
GAME 2: Northwestern 14, (RV) Concordia 13 (F/9)
Northwestern bounces back in the final game of the series with two runs in the opening frame; thanks, in part, to three Concordia errors.
The wind continued to play a factor on the day, as Bulldog lead-off hitter Jayden Adams snuck a ball just fair and over the right field fence on the first pitch he saw to cut the Raider lead in half at 2-1. Concordia would tack on another run as the game would go to the second inning knotted up at 2-2.
The Raiders were able to retake the lead in the third with a run driven in by Cullinan, who drove in Braden Kalvelage (Fr., Hastings, Neb./Hastings), with an RBI ground out, then leading 3-2. The Raiders threatened but would leave the bases loaded. In the bottom half of the frame, the Bulldogs put the tying run on second but Dykstra got out of it with a strike out – his third of the day through three innings.
Again, the Bulldogs would threaten in the fourth, but Ethan Buckner (So., Aurora, Colo./Vista Peak Prep) would come in and get a strike- ’em-out, throw- ’em-out double play to catch the runner trying to swipe third to keep the Raiders up 3-2.
The Raiders would tack on another run in the fifth to double their lead (4-2) after Rash came around to score after he singled to center to start the inning. A walk and a double set up runners on second and third for the Bulldogs in their half of the fifth, setting up an RBI infield single to pull Concordia within one, 4-3. The Bulldogs followed that with another RBI single to tie it back up, 4-4, leaving runners on first and second with no one out. Concordia would plate four more runs to take the 8-4 lead into the sixth inning.
Down 12-4 entering the eighth inning, the no quit mentality of the Raiders was apparent as the Raiders erupted for nine runs in the inning. Two runs scored early, starting with an RBI double from Snyder, followed by an RBI single from Dykstra made it 12-6 Concordia. A Stanford double scored Rash, as more Bulldog defensive miscues would plate two more runs. Porepp drove in Thurm, after he doubled to keep the inning alive with two outs.
The second home run of the season for Mo Watson (So., Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) again proved to have impeccable timing, as it would give the Raiders the 13-12 lead, still in the eighth inning. When the dust settled in the frame, Northwestern erupted for nine runs.
Dykstra and Rash both recorded three hits in the game in the top two spots of the Raider batting order, providing a huge spark for the offense all game long. Four other Raiders notched two hits, and eight of the eleven Raiders who had an at-bat recorded at least one hit. Rash and Kalvelage both scored three runs, combining for six of the 14 Northwestern scored.
Northwestern used eight pitchers in the game, as Colton Schuchart (Fr., Jourdanton, Texas/Jourdanton) would pick up the win. The win marks the freshman’s first-career in a Raider uniform, an unforgettable first collegiate win. Despite walking 13 Bulldog hitters, the Raider pitching staff bent but did not break.
Up Next: Northwestern will welcome the Briar Cliff Chargers (13-7, 3-1 GPAC) to the Baseball Diamond in Orange City on Friday, April 1 for a two-game set starting at 5:00 p.m.
