Sioux City, Iowa. – The Dakota Wesleyan Tiger baseball squad dropped a Thursday GPAC doubleheader to Briar Cliff by scores of 10-5 and 6-3. In game one the Tigers were haunted by miscues in the field that resulted in three of the runs being unearned. Drew Kitchens was the bright spot going 2 for 3 with a double and stolen base. In game two the first inning was the decider with the Chargers scoring four runs without recording a hit in the inning. DWU outhit the BCU in game two 8-4. Carter Gullickson went 2 or 3 with a double and run scored. Daulton Wilcoxen had his first home run of the season in the seventh on a pinch-hit two run shot. Dakota Wesleyan drops to 4-19 (1-11 GPAC) while the Chargers improve to 16-14 (4-10 GPAC).

Quick Stats Game 1:

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Recap:

Jacob Glovich got the nod for the Tigers on the mound entering the game with a 0-3 record and 9.16 era. Glovich turned in a quality start in his last outing against Mount Marty going seven innings giving up five hits, one earned run and recording three punchouts. DWU went down in order to start the game. The Tiger defense didn’t help Glovich recording two errors in the first inning that led to two runs crossing the plate for an early 2-0 lead for the Chargers. One of the errors was on a close call that looked like Diego Jirau at first base lost the handle on the ball on the transfer but the umpire crew stayed with the safe call on the field resulting in a throwing error. DWU got a run back in the top half of the second with Kitchens reaching on a single and swiping second and scoring on Caleb Crist single to center with two outs. In the bottom of the second Glovich tossed a clean frame while picking up a swinging punchout but got no help from his bats in the top of third keeping it a 2-1 Chargers advantage.

 The Chargers got to Glovich in the third inning put a five spot on the scoreboard. The Chargers took advantage, scoring three of the five runs with two-outs.  Dakota Wesleyan bats went down in order for the second straight inning leaving it at 7-1. Briar Cliff put up two more runs in the fourth with one of the runs coming on a big fly to extend their lead to 9-1. The Tigers got three runs back in the fifth collecting hits from Jake Kostenbauer, Lane Darrow and Seth Christiansen. Darrow came up with the key two RBI single for DWU during the inning and would end up scoring on a balk. Score sat 9-4 Briar Cliff going to the bottom of the fifth. Glovich was relieved by Logan Davis in the fifth. The Chargers picked up another two-out hit to plate one and push their lead to 10-4 through five frames.

In the sixth, Kitchens continued his productive day at the plate picking up his second hit of the day on a one-out double to right field. The Tigers, needing to string some hits together couldn’t get anything going against the Briar Cliff righty keeping it at 10-4. Davis worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half to keep the score where it was. DWU was able to get one run across but not enough to mount a comeback for a 10-5 final.

Quick Stats Game 2:

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Recap:

In game two Kitchens continued his strong day at the plate with an infield single and then stealing second base for his second stolen base of the day. The Tigers were looking to strike first but couldn’t string anything together stranding Kitchens in scoring position. On the mound was Presten Riddle getting the start for DWU, entering the game with a 1-1 record and 8.27 era. Riddle really struggled to find the zone in the first issuing four walks and one hit batter resulting in three runs for the Chargers without recording a hit and ended his day. Troy Wilhelm was called on from the bullpen to replace Riddle in a tough situation with bases loaded. Wilhelm walked the first batter he faced making it 4-0 but then got a much needed groundout to get out of the inning. The Chargers scored all four runs without recording a hit during the inning.

In the top of the second the Tigers got two runners on with Carter Gullickson infield single and Caleb Crist drawing a walk. DWU biggest struggle all year offensively has been coming up with that clutch hit with runners in scoring position and the struggle continued leaving both runners on keeping it a 4-0 ballgame. Wilhelm got the Tigers back in the dugout with a quick 1-2-3 inning collecting two strikeouts along the way. Briar Cliff added another run in the bottom half to increase their lead to 5-0. In the fourth DWU was facing another quick inning when Gullickson ripped a double and was brought home with the two-out RBI, the Tigers have been needing, by Crist base hit to right. Caleb Meyers relieved Wilhelm in the fourth and posted a zero while collecting two punchouts mixing speeds well against the Chargers.

The Tigers went scoreless in the fifth and surrendered one in the bottom half to make it 6-1 Briar Cliff lead. DWU turned an inning ending double play throwing out a Charger at the dish. Both squads went scoreless in the sixth to keep it 6-1 with the Tigers down to their final three outs in the seventh. Wilcoxen pinch hit with a runner on and one out and drove the ball over the left center fence to cut the Charger lead to 6-3. This was Wilcoxen first home run of the season and eighth of his career. With two outs and down to their final out Darrow and Christiansen both recorded back-to-back hits to put the tying run at the plate. Comeback would fall short though for a 6-3 final.

Up Next: The Dakota Wesleyan Baseball team has a day off and then returns to Sioux City for two more games against Briar Cliff.