Courtesy of Midland Athletics
YANKTON, S.D. – After twelve consecutive home games, due to the lingering weather up north, Midland University took a bus ride up to Yankton, South Dakota for their first on-the-road Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) series against Mount Marty University. The Warriors took two tough losses on the first day of the weekend series, falling 7-2 and 6-4 to the Lancers in the Friday doubleheader.
GAME ONE: Mount Marty 7, Midland 2
After a quiet first inning from both teams, Alec Villanueva drew a walk from the Lancers at the top of the 2nd. Connor Petersen broke the scoreless start for both teams with a double to left-center, driving Villanueva home. Petersen advanced to third on a wild pitch. Trey Rodriguez singled to center field to bring Petersen home. The Warriors end the 2nd inning with two runs off two hits and one error.
The Lancers managed to get their first run of the game on the board in the bottom of the 2nd, with a double followed by back-to-back groundouts, the runners advanced.
The Lancers got their bats going in the bottom of the 5th inning, scoring four runs off four hits to take the lead 5-2.
Mount Marty continued to boost its lead in the bottom of the 6th with a single and a homered to bring two runs in off two hits.
Runs were hard to come by for the Warriors as the Lancers’ pitching staff settled in on the mound. They limited Midland to four hits the rest of the way, along with 10 strikeouts and just one baserunner from a walk. The Warriors fall to Mount Marty 2-7 in game one.
Statistical Standouts
- Connor Petersen: 3-for-3, R, RBI, 2B
- Trey Rodriguez: 1-for-3, RBI
GAME TWO: Mount Marty 6, Midland 4
Lancers carried their momentum from game one to take an early lead in the bottom of the 1st, scoring one run off two hits. They boosted the lead in the 2nd, adding two more runs and making it 3-0.
Trystan Mills started the Warriors at the top of the 3rd with a single to left center. Yealex Lopez was walked. Alec Villanueva sacrificed a groundout to the pitcher to put two Warriors in the scoring position. With an error by the Lancers, Crawford reached first as Mills made it home to put the first run of game two on the board for Midland. Connor Petersen stepped up to the plate and struck his bat as he doubled to left field, bringing home Lopez. Trey Nichols had a sacrifice fly to bring home Crawford. The Warriors tied the game 3-3 off two hits and one error.
Eager to break the tie, Trey Rodriguez singled to left to open the 4th, as Mills was walked to follow. Villanueva singled to bring Rodriguez home to take the first lead of game two, 4-3.
The lead was short-lived for Midland as the Lancers managed to reclaim it, scoring two runs off two singles and two walks. Mount Marty scored the final run of the game in the 6th inning.
Lancers pitching staff heated up, bringing the Warriors’ scoring to a halt, as Zach Hegge struck out 10 of the 16 batters he faced in 4.2 innings, combined with Chipchase with one strikeout and McCandles with two strikeouts to get a combined 13.
Statistical Standouts
- Yealex Lopez: 2-for-4, R
- Alec Villanueva: 2-for-4, RBI
- Connor Petersen: 1-for-4, RBI, 2B
- Trystan Mills: 2-for-3, R
Midland (16-15, 8-6 GPAC) will be back in action on Saturday as it completes its four-game trip with another doubleheader against Mount Marty (27-8, 10-4 GPAC). First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 8.
