Nebraska Wesleyan kept its postseason hopes alive as they swept Dana College, 13-8, 14-5 in Great Plains Athletic Conference baseball action on Senior Day at NWU Field in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday afternoon (Apr. 30).
NWU is now set for a showdown at GPAC rival Doane College on Saturday afternoon (May 1) in Crete, Neb., with a trip to the GPAC Postseason Tournament on the line. The Prairie Wolves improve to 13-16 overall and 9-12 in the GPAC, Doane is 11-11 in GPAC play.
Seniors Andy McGowan and Dan Beckmann had huge days at the plate for the Prairie Wolves to ignite the NWU bats. McGowan was 6-8 with a home run and two doubles, while Beckmann was 4-7 with a home run and seven RBI.
McGowan got things started for NWU in game one with a first pitch blast over the left field wall to put NWU up 2-1. Dana responded with two in the top of the second to go up 3-2. McGowan added an RBI single in the second to tie the game at 3-3.
The big inning was a five-run bottom of the third for the Prairie Wolves. NWU scored five runs on just one hit as they took advantage of three Dana errors. NWU then sealed the win with four runs in the bottom of the sixth including Beckmann's three-run home run.
Chris Wahl got the win on the mound going 5.0 innings allowing seven earned runs. Trevor Vettel pitched the final two innings to record his first save.
McGowan was 4-4 with four RBI, while Beckmann was 2-3 with four RBI. Bryon Janata and John Rust both added two hits apiece.
After falling behind 1-0 in game two, NWU erupted for six runs in the bottom of the second and never looked back as they cruised to the win. McGowan had a two-run double and Josh Ostrom added a two-run home run for the big blows of the inning.
Senior Andrew Gatzemeyer got his first start of the season and pitched 4 1/3 effective innings to get the win. He scattered nine hits allowing three earned runs.
The Prairie Wolves also scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to open up a three-run game.
Ostrom finished 3-4 with two RBI, McGowan was 2-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while John Rust, Brady Beckman, Joe Stepanek and Dan Beckmann all added two hits each.
It will now all be on the line Saturday afternoon when the two old rivals, NWU and Doane meet for a trip to Mitchell, S.D.
