Nebraska Wesleyan scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held off a Mount Marty rally in the top of the seventh as they earned a 9-7 victory in game two of a Great Plains Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon (Apr. 2) at NWU Field in Lincoln. Mount Marty hit four home runs in game one to earn a 13-3 win in five innings.
The day got off to a rough start for the Prairie Wolves (5-12, 1-3 GPAC) as they allowed the Lancers (9-14, 2-4 GPAC) to score in all but one of the innings in the first game. Mount Marty jumped ahead 6-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Jake Thompson hit a three-run double to cut the lead in half at 6-3 for the Prairie Wolves.
Mount Marty then put the game away with seven runs in the top of the fifth, including three home runs.
Matt Schommer took the loss for NWU going 3.0 innings allowing eight hits and five earned runs. Thompson was 2-3 with three RBI, while Zach Munford also was 2-3 with a double for the Prairie Wolves.
NWU came out inspired in game two and got out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Beau Kelly and Justin Van Dyke had RBI singles for NWU. The Lancers came right back to tie the game in the second inning. They went ahead 3-2 in the top of the third inning.
This time the Prairie Wolves responded in the home half of the third. Kelly had another RBI single, then Zach Munford had a big two-run triple to left center to give NWU a 5-3 lead.
Logan Kortan hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth to pull the Lancers within one run.
The Prairie Wolves needed insurance runs and they had a great two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth. After Tanner Lewis reached on an error, Nick Dolson singled and Thompson walked to load the bases for Josh Ostrom. With a full count, Ostrom lined the ball to right field to drive in two runs. Kelly then completed his big day with a two-run double to put NWU up five.
The high-powered Mount Marty offense gave NWU a scare in the top of the seventh. The Lancers scored three runs and had the tying run on first base before closer James Landholm got Justin Kemp to ground out to shortstop.
Mike Schneider got his first collegiate victory throwing 3 1/3 innings of relief. Landholm picked up the save getting the final out.
At the plate, Kelly was 3-4 with 4 RBI, while Nick Dolson and Jake Thompson both were 2-2 with three runs scored.
