Courtesy of Midland Athletics
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – After their original doubleheader in Orange City was postponed on Friday, Midland University and Northwestern College took the diamond on Monday afternoon in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) action. The Raiders used four home runs to take the opening game, 7-2, and then edged out the Warriors with a walk-off walk to win game two, 6-5 in 10 innings. The losses drop Midland to 20-12 overall and 7-9 in the GPAC. Northwestern splits the season series and improves to 15-17 and 7-9 in conference play. With 12 games to play in the GPAC regular season, the Warriors and Raiders are in a four-team tie for sixth place with Morningside and Jamestown.
GAME ONE: Northwestern 7, Midland 2
The Raiders took game one of the doubleheader thanks in part to three home runs that staked a 5-0 lead after four innings. They hit solo shots in the 2nd and 4th and added a two-run homer in the 4th. In the 6th, they went yard once more with a two-run shot to push their lead to 7-0.
In the top of the 7th, Midland finally broke through with two runs to avoid the shutout. Matt Ross took a pitch over the left-center wall for his second home run since coming back from injury. That would be all the Warriors could muster as they fell 7-2.
Hilton Mehrmann earned the start and went 4.0 innings, striking out five batters and allowing four earned runs. Connor Petersen moved onto the mound from third base in the 5th and went 2.0 innings. He had three strikeouts while allowing two earned.
Statistical Standout
- Matt Ross: 1-for-3, R, 2 RBI
GAME TWO: Northwestern 6, Midland 5
It took extra innings in the series finale between the Warriors and the Raiders. Northwestern opened the scoring in the 1st with a two-out double that scored the first run of the game. In the 3rd, Midland seized their first lead of the day with a pair of runs.
Tyler Foster hit a one-out double and then was driven in by Trey Rodriguez who belted his third home run of the year to left field. The Raiders would get a homer for themselves in the bottom to knot the score up at 2-2.
In the 4th, Peyton Garbers sent a solo shot to left-center to put Midland up once more. Connor Petersen then drove in Chase Reynolds with a two-out single in the 5th, putting the Warriors up 4-2.
The Raiders answered back once more with two runs in the bottom of the 5th and then took the lead in the 6th with a one-out solo home run.
In the 7th, with the game on the line, Kyle Weber led off with a double to left-center. Reynold then moved him to third with a one-out bunt single. With runners on the corners, Dakota Thornton made contact on a check swing and was thrown out at first. While that was happening, Weber made a spring for home and scored the tying run as the throw was late and not handled cleaning by the catcher who was caught off guard.
Extra innings would ensue and both teams wouldn’t budge in the 8th or 9th.
In the 10th, after Midland went down in order, Northwestern got a leadoff single and then worked the bases loaded with a fielder’s choice and an intentional walk. With one out the Warriors needed a double play to extend the game but the Raiders won the game with a walk-off walk to earn the sweep and split the season series.
Statistical Standouts
- Trey Rodriguez: 1-for-5, R, 2 RBI, HR
- Kyle Weber: 1-for-1, R, 2B
- Tyler Foster: 1-for-2, R, 2B
- Peyton Garbers: 1-for-4, R, RBI, HR
Next up for Midland (20-12, 7-9 GPAC) will be a Thursday doubleheader at Hastings (6-26, 2-14 GPAC). The Warriors have won four straight over the Broncos and 10 of the last 14 games under head coach Chad Miller. Game time of the opener at Duncan Field in Hastings, Nebraska is set for 3:00 p.m. on April 14.
