Jenny Lemmerman, Director of Marketing and Communications, (402) 426-7216

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 22, 2008

Vikings Finish the Season

Blair, Nebraska ~ Viking baseball finished their season this weekend by dropping four games.  Dana College lost a pair of games on Saturday in Lincoln against Nebraska Wesleyan 2-0 and 9-3.  The Viking dropped two games on Sunday against the visiting Warriors of Midland Lutheran 18-4 and 13-7.

Dana was held to five singles in the first game against Nebraska Wesleyan.  Drew Petersen (FR, Omaha, NE) went one for two on the afternoon with a stolen base.  Andrew James (FR, Omaha, NE), Alex Johnson (FR, Red Oak, IA), Quentin Connealy (SR, Tekamah, NE), and Justin Nicola (FR, Omaha, NE) each had hits.  John Ocken (FR, Omaha, NE) pitched five innings giving up seven hits and two runs.  Ocken suffered the loss for the Vikings.  Anthony Teal (JR, Omaha, NE) pitched the final inning of perfect relief.

The bats for both teams woke up in the second game.  Dana outhit Nebraska Wesleyan 12-9, but five errors cost the Vikings the game.  NWU scored three runs in the first and six in the second inning to take a 9-0 lead.  Dana came back with single runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.  Drew Petersen got things going in the third with a single to left center and stole second base.  Andrew James drove Petersen in with a double to center.  Cody Falk (FR, Arlington, NE) reached on an error and advanced to second.  He was driven home by a Petersen double.  The Vikings put together three hits in the top of the fifth.  Alex Johnson singled to left to start the inning.  Andrew Cookston (FR, Lincoln, NE) reached on an error and Johnson advanced to second.  Quentin Connealy advanced both runners with an infield single.  Justin Nicola drove in Johnson.  The Vikings left the bases full as Cody Falk struck out swinging and Drew Petersen fouled out.  Wesleyan pitching held Dana to one hit over the final two innings.  Quentin Connealy was three for four in the game with a stolen base.  Taylor Hoskinson (FR, Omaha, NE) was two for four on the day.  Alex Johnson and Drew Petersen each had two hits.  Charlie Kimble (FR, Omaha, NE) pitched an inning and a third and took the loss.  He gave up seven hits and nine runs.  Marcus Schultz (FR, Jackson, MN) pitched the final four and two-thirds innings.  Schultz allowed no runs and gave up only two hits.

The Vikings closed out their season on Sunday at home against Midland Lutheran.  Dana managed seven hits and scored four runs in the game.  Andrew James hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third to get Dana on the board.  Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, NE) singled to keep the Viking rally going.  Tim Sabadin (SR, Lake Elizabeth, CA) hit the innings second homerun.  Dana added another run in the bottom of the fifth.  The game was called in the fifth.  Four Viking pitchers were used in the loss.  Robert Riggs (SO, Council Bluffs, IA) started the game and pitched an inning and a third.  Riggs took the loss as he gave up six hits and seven runs.  Cody Falk pitched an inning and a third and gave up eight hits and seven runs.  Brian Snitily (FR, Prague, NE) pitched an inning and a third.  He allowed four runs on three hits.  Matt Renshaw (FR, Council Bluffs, IA) pitched the final inning in relief.  He allowed only one hit.

The Vikings looked to have the night cap wrapped up, until late in the game.  Dana put two runs up in the third and four more in the fifth.  Damian Jensen (SR, Omaha, NE) led off the third with a double.  He came around to score when Marcus Schultz singled to center.  Austin Lunn closed the inning out with a home run to left center.  Lunn, Andrew Cookston, and Tim Sabadin each had hits to drive in Viking hitters.  Dana pitching could not hold the Midland bats quiet.  The Warriors exploded for eight runs on seven hits in the sixth and three more in the seventh.  Marcus Schultz was three for three on the afternoon with two runs scored.  Austin Lunn was three for four with a home run and two RBI’s.  Alex Johnson added three more hits.  Kyle Courtney (JR, Omaha, NE) pitched five strong innings.  He allowed four runs on five hits and left the game with Dana leading.  Matt Weeks (JR, Omaha, NE) took the loss as he gave up three runs on one hit.  John Ocken pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed three runs on three hits.  Tim Sabadin pitched the final inning and gave up three hits and three runs.

Stats from Game 1 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan:      http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/dannwu1.htm

Stats from Game 2 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan:      http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/dannwu2.htm

Stats from Game 1 vs. Midland:            http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/mlcdan1.htm

Stats from Game 2 vs. Midland:            http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/mlcdan2.htm

Dana College finished their year at 10-31 and 6-18 in conference play.  The Vikings did not qualify for the eight team GPAC tournament starting later this week.

For more information, please contact Shad Beam, Sports Information Director at sbeam@dana.edu.