Courtesy of Midland Athletics
FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University hosted Dordt University in its final regular season games on Monday for Senior Day at Moller Field in Fremont. In the final games of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular season, the Warriors achieved a sweep against the Defenders. They earned a tough 3-2 victory in game one and then held on for a 10-7 win in game two.
GAME ONE: Midland 3, Dordt 2
After a few quiet innings, Dordt ended the silence in the top of the 3rd by scoring one run off of three hits to take the early lead.
Midland retaliated in its half of the 1st when Hadyn Crawford sent a soaring hit over left field for a solo home run, leveling the score. Joshua Hardamon followed suit with a home run of his own, over the center field wall to grant the Warriors a 2-1 lead.
In the 4th, the Defenders responded with a homer of their own, equalizing the game once more.
In the home half of the 4th, Jacob Liquori kickstarted the Warriors’ offense with a leadoff double, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. A fielder’s choice allowed Liquori to dash home, restoring the Warriors’ lead to 3-2.
Lucas Hamzeh went the distance on the mound, shutting down the Defenders for the complete game victory. He pitched seven innings with eight hits allowed, three walks, and two runs while tallying six strikeouts.
Statistical Standouts
- Hadyn Crawford: 1-for-2, R, RBI, HR, BB
- Joshua Hardamon: 2-for-3, R, RBI, HR
- Jacob Liquori: 1-for-2, R, 2B, BB
GAME TWO: Midland 10, Dordt 7
After two scoreless innings to start game two, the Defenders ignited the scoreboard in the 3rd inning with a home run to take the early 1-0 advantage.
Their lead was short-lived as the Warriors surged in the bottom of the inning. Joshua Hardamon singled and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Deven Gomez drove him in to score with a double, and then Jacob Liquori kept the momentum flowing with a single, driving in Gomez.
Christopher Ortega extended the rally with a double, scoring Liquori. After Ortega advanced to third on a wild pitch, Kobe Sandstrom drew a walk. As Ben Kirkland entered as his courtesy runner, Chase Bouges and Yealex Lopez capped off the big inning with back-to-back singles, adding two more runs as the Warriors sprinted to a commanding 5-1 lead.
Dordt managed to get a run back in the 4th inning but was unable to make up the hole they had dug the inning prior.
In the bottom of the 4th, Midland added to the lead with another big inning at the plate. Hardamon and Aaron Perez drew consecutive walks ahead of a double off the bat of Liquori which brought Hardamon in to score. Perez dashed home on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.
Ortega’s put another runner on the base path for the Warriors, setting the stage for Bouges’ RBI single. Yealex Lopez struck his bat for a triple, clearing the bases and extending the Warriors’ lead to 10-2.
The Defenders got their shovels out in the 6th as they started to dig out of the large deficit. They worked the bases loaded with one out and then saw their batter at the plate get hit, driving in the run with a painful RBI. One batter later, the bases were emptied with a grand slam home run, narrowing the gap to 10-7.
The Warriors’ pitching staff held off the late surge, as Michael Crump secured the win with an inning pitched, allowing one run and striking out two. With two outs in the 7th, Scott Tatum came on to close out the win. He allowed one run before striking out the final batter for the Senior Day sweep.
Statistical Standouts
- Yealex Lopez: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 3B, SB
- Joshua Hardamon: 3-for-3, 2 R, BB
- Deven Gomez: 1-for-2, R, RBI, 2B
- Jacob Liquori: 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B
- Christopher Ortega: 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2B, BB
- Chase Bouges: 2-for-2, R, 2 RBI
With the win, the Warriors reach the 30-win mark during the regular season for the first time since 2017. They’ll be the 5-seed in the GPAC Postseason Tournament set to begin later this week.
“Very proud of what these seniors have done to help build what we are trying to do here. They have set us up to be strong moving forward,” commented first-year head coach Shea Bennett. “It was a fun night to cap off the regular season. I would like to thank all of the seniors and their families for contributing so much to the program. However, we are not done yet. We still have some fun things to look forward to in the postseason!”
Midland (30-17, 16-12 GPAC) will begin its postseason run later this week. On Thursday, the No. 5 Warriors will face off against No. 4 Briar Cliff (26-20, 18-10 GPAC) in the opening round of the conference tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on May 2nd at Plum Creek Park in Seward, Nebraska.
