Sioux Center, Iowa — Dordt used a four run fourth inning and held on to win a 4-1 decision, and Northwestern used a mix of pitchers to get the 4-0 win in Sioux Center Friday afternoon.
Dordt got its runs in the home half of the fourth with John Emerson reaching on an error. Logan Cline singled and a bunt moved the runners to second and third. A throwing error allowed one run to come in and a wild pitch scored a second run. Aaaron Eshelman then singled with the bases loaded to get two more runs in.
With a 4-0 cushion Dordt’s Gyeonju Kim worked around a hit in the fifth and two hits in the sixth. Northwestern threatened in the seventh with a run scored but the Raiders left runners at the corners with a ground out to shortstop ending the inning.
Kim struck out ten and walked one while giving up an unearned run.
Austin Pullar, Logan Cline and Aaron Eshelman had a single each for the Defenders.
In game two, scoreless into the top of the fourth, Northwestern’s Olesen drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Eli Rash, to put Northwestern up 1-0. An RBI single by Porepp scored Vogel from third, giving the Raiders a 2-0 lead in the seventh. Vogel led off the ninth inning with a single and scored after a Dordt error; pinch runner Hunter Rynders later scored the final run after a single by Rash.
Northwestern outhit the Defenders 8-6; all eight Raider hits were singles. Vogel and Rash had two hits each, Vogel scored two runs. Eddison Goodlow, the fourth Raider pitcher, earned the win, recording the final two outs of the third inning . Brett Shelton earned the save, pitching the final six innings; he struck out five .Luke Turner (0-5) picked up the loss, giving up three hits, one run, in 4.2 innings. John Emerson led the Defenders with three hit.
