Courtesy of Midland Athletics
OMAHA, Neb. – Instead of heading south to Joplin, Missouri this weekend, Midland University and several other regional schools moved their neutral sites games to the Omaha metro to take advantage of more pleasant weather. With still a bit of nip in the air, the Warriors blitzed Graceland University 15-1 in their noon game and then edged Dakota State University 2-0 in their nightcap.
GAME ONE: Midland 15, Graceland 1
Midland dominated their first game of the weekend at the plate and on the mound. Offensively, they scored 15 runs on 18 hits, including six for extra bases and a pair of home runs. In the field, the Warriors gave up just two hits behind a 6.0 inning outing by Lucas Hamzeh.
Hamzeh continued his strong start with five strikeouts of the Yellowjackets. Of the 18 batters he faced, he allowed three baserunners. One via a walk and two others reaching a single and a double.
Four runs in the second inning broke the game open, and four more in the third made it a rout. The only inning without a run coming across the plate for the Warriors was the 5th.
Statistical Standouts
- Chase Reynolds: 2-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 3B
- Dakota Thornton: 2-for-5, 2 RBI
- Peyton Garbers: 2-for-5, RBI, 2B
- Alec Villanueva: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, HR
- Trey Nichols: 3-for-4, RBI
- Beau Boyle: 2 R, 2 SB
- Lucas Hamzeh: 6.0 IP, 5 K
GAME TWO: Midland 2, Dakota State 0
Jay Lambert etched his name into Midland history in just his second collegiate outing. The right-hander from Colorado threw a no-hitter against Dakota State, striking out seven batters along the way. It was the first no-hitter since the fall of 2017 when Torrey Escamilla didn’t’ allow a hit to Viterbo.
After a delay to the start of the game, Lambert set down the first five batters before the Trojans’ got a runner aboard after an error. The Warriors would get another 1-2-3 inning in the 4th and 5th innings.
At the plate offensively, Midland pushed across a run in the 3rd and another in the 6th.
Tyler Foster, who reached on an error, came around to score on a sacrifice by Chase Reynolds to make it 1-0.
In their last at-bat, Trey Nichols scored after pinch-running for Connor Petersen. Petersen reached on a double to right. Alec Villanueva recorded the RBI on a single to center.
Statistical Standouts
- Jay Lambert: 7.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 7 K
- Beau Boyle: 3-for-3
- Connor Petersen: 1-for-2, 2B
- Chase Reynolds: SAC, RBI
- Alec Villanueva: 1-for-3, RBI
Midland (5-1) will take the field for two more games on Sunday in Omaha. They’ll play a doubleheader against Presentation (1-10) at the Elkhorn Legion Field. First pitch of game one on Sunday, is set for 12:00 p.m.
