Vikings Drop Pair to Chargers

Blair, Nebraska ~ The Dana College baseball team lost a pair of games in Sioux City, Iowa to Briar Cliff University on Sunday.  The Vikings survived the blowing winds and frozen turf in Sioux City, but dropped game one 10-5 and the second game 8-6.

Dana jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.  Taylor Hoskinson (FR, Omaha, NE) led off with a single and then stole second base.  He then advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around on an error by the Charger catcher.  Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, NE) walked and then stole second.  Quentin Connealy (SR, Tekamah, NE) grounded out to second, which allowed Lunn to score.  Dana’s lead was short lived as Briar Cliff used three hits to score five runs in the top of the second.  The Chargers added another in the top of the third.  The Vikings drew within a run in the bottom of the third as they strung together five hits and produced three runs.  Hoskinson got things going with a single and moved to second on a Briar Cliff balk.  Andrew James, Austin Lunn, and Quentin Connealy hit back-to-back-to-back singles to drive in Hoskinson and James.  Alex Johnson (FR, Red Oak, IA) drove in Lunn with a single to center.  This would be a close as the Vikings came.  The Chargers added two runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Hoskinson led the Vikings with two hits and two runs scored.  James, Lunn, Connealy, Tim Sabadin (SR, Lake Elizabeth, CA) and Anthony Teal (JR, Omaha, NE) each had one hit.  Connealy drove in two runs and Lunn and Alex Johnson each drove in one.  Robert Riggs (SO, Council Bluffs, IA) pitched five innings and allowed six hits and eight runs.  He was credited with the loss.  Kyle Courtney (JR, Omaha, NE) pitched the final two innings.  He gave up two hits and two runs.

Game two saw Dana take an early 2-1 lead in the second inning.  Alex Johnson led the inning off with a double.  Antony Teal then walked to put two runners on base.  Cody Falk (FR, Arlington, NE) singled to drive in Johnson.  Taylor Hoskinson hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that allowed Teal to score.  Briar Cliff did not let the Vikings hold the lead for long as they capitalized on two Viking errors and exploded for seven runs in the top of the third.  Dana came back in the bottom of the inning as they laced five hits and scored four runs.  Marcus Schultz (FR, Jackson, MN), Tim Sabadin, and Alex Johnson had consecutive hits to start the Viking rally.  The four runs were the last runs either team scored in the game.

Cody Falk led the Vikings with three hits and two RBI’s.  Alex Johnson went two for three with two runs and two RBI’s.  Andrew James, Marcus Schultz, and Tim Sabadin each had one hit apiece.  Matt Weeks (JR, Omaha, NE) pitched two and two-thirds innings and allowed four hits and eight runs.  He was credited with the loss.  Anthony Teal pitched two and a third innings of four hit, no run ball.  Taylor Hoskinson came in and pitched the final two innings of one hit relief.

Coach Misfeldt’s Corner

“Briar Cliff is a good team. We need to get back to playing fundamentally sound baseball.  Our young kids competed much better, but we left 11 runners stranded on base.  I believe in my young players and we are going to come through in a clutch situation and get us out of this funk we’re in right now.”

Game 1 vs.  Briar Cliff: http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/danbcu1.htm

Game 2 vs. Briar Cliff:  http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/danbcu2.htm

Dana is now 7-22 overall and 4-10 in conference play.  Briar Cliff improved to 12-16 and 11-3 in the GPAC.  The Vikings travel to Orange City, Iowa on Monday to take on Northwestern College (17-9, 10-2).  The Red Raiders sit on top of the GPAC.