Mason O’Donnell scored the go-ahead run in the top of ninth inning and pitched three scoreless innings of relief in leading Northwestern to a 6-4, nine-inning win against Dordt in game one of a GPAC doubleheader played today in Sioux Center.
Game two was called after two full innings due to rain and wet conditions; will be continued next Monday, April 22, around 5pm in Sioux Center with Dordt leading 6-2.
Tied at 4 entering the ninth inning, O’Donnell reached base on a leadoff walk, advanced to second after Ben De Boer was hit by a pitch and went to third when Sutton Derr put down a sacrifice bunt. O’Donnell then scored on a wild pitch, giving the Red Raiders a 5-4 lead. Colton Harold delivered an RBI groundout two batters later, scoring De Boer, for an important insurance run.
O’Donnell retired the Defenders in order in the bottom half to clinch it. The senior did not give up a hit in three strong innings of relief, allowing only one base runner, and pushed his record to 3-2.
Derr led Northwestern at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Britton Yoder, O’Donnell and Schutt had two hits each with O’Donnell scoring three runs.
Head Coach Brian Wede’s squad needed some late game heroics to force extra innings. Down 4-3 with two outs and the bases empty, three straight singles by O’Donnell, De Boer and Derr tied the game at four.
Ben Zeutenhorst started the game on the mound, giving up three hits and three runs in three innings. Evan Olesen pitched the middle three innings, yielding three hits and one run.
The Defenders totaled six hits, two each by Cam Pfafman and Lucas Nelson. Justin Bond (0-1) took the loss, giving up two earned runs in 1.1 innings of work.
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