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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 22, 2008

Bobcats and Vikings Split

Blair, Nebraska ~ Viking baseball used great weather and timely hitting to gain a split with Peru State College on Tuesday afternoon.  Dana took the first game 8-2, before losing game two 12-5.

Taylor Hoskinson (FR, Omaha, NE) led the game off with a double.  Andrew James (FR, Omaha, NE) followed with a single.  Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, NE) cleared the bases with an inside the park home run.  Andrew Cookston (FR, Lincoln, NE) doubled to continue the inning.  He moved to third on a single by Quentin Connealy (SR, Tekamah, NE).  The Vikings could not push another run across in the inning.  Alex Johnson (FR, Red Oak, IA) singled in the bottom of the second to score James and Austin Lunn (FR, Omaha, NE).  Tim Sabadin (SR, Lake Elizabeth, CA) and Drew Petersen (FR, Omaha, NE) hit singles before being driven home by a Hoskinson double.  Dana put its final run on the board in the sixth inning as Petersen drove home Matt Dargy (SO, Omaha, NE).  Robert Riggs (SO, Council Bluffs, IA) picked up the win by pitching five strong innings.  Riggs gave up four hits and an earned run.  Cody Falk (FR, Arlington, NE) pitched the final two innings in relief.  Hoskinson was three for five with two RBI’s.  Andrew James went two for four and scored two runs.  Cookston and Connealy each had two hits as well.

Viking bats started early in game two as they put three runs on the board in the second inning.  Tim Sabadin got the big hit with a three run triple.  Scoring on the play were Andy Cookston, Alex Johnson, and Quentin Connealy.  Dana’s pitching gave up five hits and four runs in the third inning.  The Viking offense could not get things going and were able to score one more run in the game.  The Bobcat offense pulled away from the Vikings in the later innings by scoring two runs in fifth and seventh innings and three in the sixth.  Tim Sabadin was one for three with a triple and three RBI’s.  Quentin Connealy, Alex Johnson, Andy Cookston and Taylor Hoskinson had the other Viking hits.  Matt Weeks (JR, Omaha, NE) pitched two and a third innings and took the loss.  Weeks allowed eight hits and five runs.

Game 1 stats vs. Peru State:      http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/pscdan1.htm

Game 2 stats vs. Peru State:      http://www.dana.edu/baseball/stats08/pscdan2.htm

Coach Misfeldt’s Corner

“The first game (against Peru) was one of our top performances of the year. The kids really played a complete game. Our first three hitters – Taylor Hoskinson, Andrew James and Austin Lunn – really set the tone by getting consecutive hits to start the game. Those three have been hitting the ball well all year long. Austin’s big hit (an inside-the-park home run) really got the kids fired up.  We had pitchers throwing lots of strikes, we had infielders and outfielders making plays, we had hitters smashing balls hard all over the place and we ran the bases well. Rob Riggs had another outstanding performance in the opener. He’s a real bulldog for us.  We have an opportunity to win four more games this weekend against Nebraska Wesleyan and Midland. I’m confident our guys will keep scratching, clawing and fighting for a chance to win all of them.”

The Vikings are 10-27 on the season.  Dana will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska on Friday to play Nebraska Wesleyan.  First pitch is set for 1:00pm.  Dana will play host to Midland Lutheran on Saturday, April 26^th.  This will be the last home game of the season for the Vikings.  First pitch is set for 1:00pm.

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