Vikings Fall to Warriors in Non-Conference Play

Fremont, Nebraska ~ The Dana College baseball team travelled to Fremont on Wednesday for a non-conference, nine inning baseball affair against Midland Lutheran.  The Vikings and Warriors played nine innings with MLC coming out on top 11-6.

Midland Lutheran jumped out to an early 9-0 lead on Dana.  The Viking offense got into gear in the top of the fifth inning.  Drew Petersen (FR, Omaha, NE) singled and was advanced to second when Taylor Hoskinson (FR, Omaha, NE) reached on a fielding error.  Petersen advanced to third when Andrew James (FR, Omaha, NE) hit a sacrifice fly to right field.  He advanced home on an Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, NE) single.

Dana pulled closer in the sixth inning as they scored four runs on two hits.  Quentin Connealy (SR, Tekamah, NE) opened the inning with a walk and then stole second.  Following a Tim Sabadin (SR, Lake Elizabeth, CA) walk, Alex Johnson (FR, Red Oak, IA) doubled to right.  Connealy scored and Sabadin moved to third.  Andrew Cookston (FR, Lincoln, NE) cleared the based with a two run triple.  Cookston advanced home on a Cody Falk (FR, Arlington, NE) ground out.  The Vikings managed one more run in the top of the seventh inning: one a hit and two Warrior errors.

Lunn, Cookston, and Falk each had two hits.  Cookston also had two runs batted in to lead Dana.  Courtney gave up nine runs (five earned) in one inning and suffered the loss.  Charlie Kimble pitched six strong innings.  He gave up four hits and one earned run.  John Ocken (FR, Omaha, NE) pitched one inning and gave up an earned run.

Coach Misfeldt’s Corner

“We got off to a rough start in the first inning, but our freshman rallied to get us back into the game,” Dana coach Ken Misfeldt said.

Dana reliever Charlie Kimble was also effective. He entered in the second inning and held the Warriors to one run in six innings with four hits, three walks and one strikeout.

“Charlie was the highlight of our day,” Misfeldt said of his freshman from Omaha South. “He kept them a little bit off balance with a fastball and a breaking ball, but throwing strikes was the main thing. He got in a good rhythm and made them swing the bat, and our defense made some plays behind him. He was really only going to throw two innings tonight, but he was cruising, so we let him go.”

For complete stats, please go to: http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/danmlcnc.htm

The Vikings fall to 5-17 overall on the season.  Dana will play two double headers this weekend.  On Saturday, Dana travels to Crete, Nebraska to take on Doane College (12-17, 4-4).  First pitch is set for 1 p.m.  On Sunday, the Vikings travel to Seward, NE to square off against Concordia (3-24, 2-6).  Game time is set for 1 p.m.  Dana will be home on April 13 to face conference leader, Northwestern College.