GAME 1

The Dordt University baseball team surrendered late runs in the final two innings in losing its conference opener to Hastings, 11-1, in game one of a GPAC doubleheader played in Hastings, Neb. 

The Defenders are 12-7 overall heading into game two; Hastings is 7-14 on the season.

Scoreless into the bottom of the fifth inning, Dordt scored the first run of the game off back-to-back hits, a double by Dylan Stanley and an RBI single by Anthony Rodriguez, with two outs. 

Defender starting pitcher Nick Yeager was nearly perfect through five innings, allowing just two Hastings baserunners heading into the sixth. The Broncos, however, broke through in the sixth, scoring eight runs on six hits and two errors off three Dordt pitchers. Tristan Martinez led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt put down by Jace Valdez. Jaden Stone hit a one-out double to left field, scoring Martinez, to tie the score at 1-1. After a Hastings groundout to shortstop, Eli Merrit hit a two-out, game-winning single to center field that scored Stone and chased Yeager from the game. The next five Broncos hitters all reached base and led to six more runs, the big blow coming off the bat of James Velasquez who hit a two-run double.

Leading 8-1, Hastings scored its final three runs with five hits in the seventh. Both Dylan Otto and Tyler Welsh hit RBI singles for the Broncos. 

By the Numbers...

• Dordt was outhit 12-5
• Logan Harris led the Defenders, going 2-for-4, from the leadoff spot
• the Defenders 2-4 hitters, Jason Carrig, Dylan Stanley and Anthony Rodriguez, all had one hit each
• Stanley has hit safely in 15 consecutive games
• Dordt had runners on base in every inning
• Yeager (3-2) lost for just the second time in six starts, striking out seven in 5.2 innings
• Hastings pitcher, Markus Miller (2-0), earned the win and struck out one
• Matt Lucero led the Broncos with three hits

GAME 2

A three-run third inning by the hosts gave Hastings a GPAC baseball sweep over Dordt on Monday afternoon, March 20 in a twinbill played in Hastings, Nebraska.

Hastings, playing as the visitor in both games which were scheduled originally for Sioux Center, but were moved due to snow cover on Dordt's home field.

Hastings got the three runs on three hits and two errors in the top of the third and Dordt had a one-run answer when Ben Baker singled in  Ethan Hoogester who had originally reached with a leadoff double.  Dordt missed out on a bigger inning with two runners stranded and another caught stealing in the frame.

Dordt capitalized on a Hastings error in the fifth inning when Logan Harris reached on an error and eventually scored on a Jason Carrig ground out. Dordt left two runners on base when the inning ended and Dordt trailed 3-2.

Hastings added a run in the top of the seventh and Dordt was retired in order in the bottom of the inning.
By the Numbers

• Dordt was outhit 8-5 and committed four errors.
• Hoogesteger's double was the only extra base hit of the game for Dordt.
• Ben Baker, Kaden Davis, Juan Sanchez and Nolan Christianson all had singles.
• Dordt stranded eight baserunners and left two on in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
• Gyeongju Kim pitched six and two-third innings and gave up three earned runs on eight hits and he struck out four with four bases on balls.
• Dordt is now 12-8 and 0-2 in league play.

NEXT
Dordt is scheduled to face Midland in a pair of doubleheaders this Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25.


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