Vikings Host Defenders, Mustangs to Open GPAC

The Dana College baseball team opened the Great Plains Athletic Conference season at home last weekend, splitting a pair of games with Dordt.  The Vikings won the first game, 13-12, in 10 innings and dropped game two, 10-5. Morningside swept Dana the following day, 10-1 and 17-2.

Dana exploded for 13 runs and 18 hits in the opening game against Dordt College.  Taylor Hoskinson (FR, Omaha, Neb.) and Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, Neb.) led the Vikings with four hits apiece.  Lunn scored two runs and drove in four runs.  Five other Vikings had two hits in the win. 

Rob Paxton (FR, Laurel, Iowa) pitched one inning of relief for the win.  Chris Luhr (SO, Norfolk, Neb.) earned the save.

Game two saw more offense from both teams.  This time Dordt came up with a 10-5 win.  Lunn and Andrew James (FR, Omaha, Neb.) each had two hits.  James drove in a team-high three runs. 

Kyle Courtney (JR, Omaha, Neb.) suffered the loss.  Courtney pitched four innings gave up seven hits and five earned runs. Luhr and Anthony Teal (JR, Omaha, Neb.) combined to pitch three innings of relief.  The two gave up four hits and five runs.

Morningside College visited Petersen Field on Saturday in another GPAC doubleheader.  The Mustangs battered the weary Viking pitching staff for 27 runs in two games. 

Dana took the lead in the third inning.  Freshman Cody Falk (Arlington, Neb.) opened the third inning with a triple.  Drew Petersen (FR, Omaha, Neb.) knocked a double to score Falk.  This was the only run Dana could muster.  Morningside used big innings in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings to pull away. 

Matt Weeks (JR, Omaha, Neb.) took the loss for the Vikings.  Weeks pitched three and a third innings, giving up just one hit and three unearned runs.  Charlie Kimble (FR, Omaha, Neb.) relieved Weeks and pitched two innings giving up three hits and two runs. Paxton pitched the final inning and two-thirds, giving up five hits and five runs.

The Vikings were held to four hits and two runs in the second game of the doubleheader. Hoskinson had two hits and scored a run to lead the Vikings offense. James and Lunn each had a hit and drove in one run apiece.  The Viking pitching staff was pummeled for 16 hits and 17 runs. 

Falk was one of five Dana pitchers.  Falk took the loss for the Vikings in an inning and a third.  He gave up six hits and eight runs.  Matt Renshaw (FR, Council Bluffs, Iowa), Brian Snitily (FR, Prague, Neb.), Spencer Fritsch (FR, Neola, IOwa), and Alex Johnson (FR, Red Oak, Iowa) combined to pitch the final inning and a third.  The four gave up nine runs and ten hits.

Game One vs. Dordt:  http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/dordan1.htm

Game Two vs. Dordt:  http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/dordan2.htm

Game One vs. Morningside:  http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/mordan1.htm

Game Two vs. Morningside:  http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/mordan2.htm

The Vikings are now 4-10 overall and 1-3 in conference play.  Dana will travel to Salina, Kan., to take on Kansas Wesleyan on Tuesday.  The Vikings will also host a pair of GPAC games on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, please contact:  Shad Beam, Sports Information Director at 402-426-7389 or sbeam@dana.edu.