The Dordt Defender baseball team dropped both ends of a GPAC doubleheader to Dakota Wesleyan on Friday, April 10 in Mitchell, South Dakota, falling 13-11 in a back-and-forth opener before dropping the nightcap 20-7.

Game 1: Dakota Wesleyan 13, Dordt 11
Box Score (PDF)

Dordt rallied from an early deficit but couldn't hold off a late surge as Dakota Wesleyan scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 13-11 decision. The Tigers jumped out quickly with three runs in the first and four more in the second to build a 7-0 lead. Dordt chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth before a Ryan Vann two-run homer in the fifth made it 7-4.

The Defenders delivered their biggest inning in the sixth, plating six runs on six hits to surge ahead 10-7. Key hits included a Drew Oreskes solo home run, a two-RBI double by Jimmy Twombley, and an RBI single from Logan Templeton. Dordt added another run in the seventh for an 11-8 lead, but Dakota Wesleyan answered in dramatic fashion. A triple and an error cut the lead to one before a three-run homer capped the comeback and handed Dordt the loss.

Dordt Team Stats

• Runs: 11
• Hits: 15
• Errors: 1
• Left on base: 6

Dakota Wesleyan Team Stats

• Runs: 13
• Hits: 12
• Errors: 0
• Left on base: 4

Dordt Individual Leaders

• Ryan Vann: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR
• Jimmy Twombley: 2-for-4, 3 RBI, 2 2B
• Drew Oreskes: 3-for-3, RBI, HR
• Chisum Demmers: 4-for-4, RBI
• Joey Schlesselman: 2-for-4, 2 runs

Game 2: Dakota Wesleyan 20, Dordt 7
Box Score (PDF)

The nightcap saw Dakota Wesleyan take control early, using an eight-run second inning to fuel a 20-7 win. Dordt struck first on a Ryan Vann solo home run and added another run in the second for a 2-0 lead, but the Tigers responded with an outburst with eight runs in the second, adding five more in the third, and scored four more in the fourth to build a commanding lead.

Dordt managed to score in the fifth with RBI hits from Logan Templeton and Drew Oreskes, and added three more runs in the seventh, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome as the Tigers totaled 20 hits in the
game.

Dordt Team Stats

• Runs: 7
• Hits: 10
• Errors: 0
• Left on base: 10

Dakota Wesleyan Team Stats

• Runs: 20
• Hits: 20
• Errors: 0
• Left on base: 6

Dordt Individual Leaders

• Ryan Vann: 3-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBI, HR, 2B
• Logan Templeton: 2-for-4, RBI, 2B
• Drew Oreskes: 2-for-3, RBI
• DJ Kerr: 1-for-4, RBI
• Joey Schlesselman: RBI

Dordt moves to 15-23 overall and 5-13 in GPAC play following the doubleheader and the two teams will play again on Saturday, April 11 in Mitchell.
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