Billy Cribbs
(Rochester, Mich./Rochester
H.S.) singled home Steven Scoby (Delton, Mich./Kellogg
H.S.) with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning of game two to
give Valparaiso its fourth doubleheader sweep of the season on Friday
afternoon, as the Crusaders downed North Dakota 3-2 and 2-1 at Emory G. Bauer
Field.
With two outs and no one on
base, Scoby reached on an error and stole second. Cribbs then singled into left-center for his
second hit of the game to give the Brown and Gold the win.
“We needed a big hit and we
finally got it,” head coach Tracy
Woodson said.
The game was a pitcher’s dual
throughout though. Valpo scored first in
the third as Kyle Gaedele (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows H.S.) was hit by a pitch with two
outs. A single by Dan DeBruin (Combined Locks, Wis./Kimberly
H.S.) advanced Gaedele second and he then stole third. Kyle
Muhlsteff (Yorba Linda,
Calif./Esperanza H.S.) came
through with a single through the left side.
Valpo starter Tyler Deetjen (Saint Charles, Ill./East
H.S.) kept the Fighting Sioux off of the scoreboard until the sixth. Andrew Marek and Andrew Gudmunson both
singled to put runners on the corners.
With one out, pinch runner David Dafforn stole home on a pickoff attempt
at first as the batter showed bunt for a squeeze play to tie the game.
North
Dakota (6-17) threatened
again in the seventh of the game scheduled for just seven innings, loading the
bases, but Justin Frane (Huntertown, Ind./Carroll
H.S.) came in and got a strikeout and ground out to get out of the threat.
Brandon Baumbagtner went 10.2
innings on the mound for the Fighting Sioux, allowing just the one run and five
hits while striking out five and walking four.
Jameson Benson then suffered the loss (0-2) allowing the unearned run in
the 12th inning.
Frane recorded his first
collegiate victory (1-0), pitching 5.2 innings of scoreless relief allowing
just four hits and fanning two. Neither
Crusader hurler walked a batter in the nightcap.
The opener was also a
pitcher’s dual between Derek Biermaier and Alex
Berry (Olney, Ill./East Richland H.S.) into the seventh
inning.
Valpo broke through with
three unearned runs as Scoby reached on a one out error and Damon McCormick (Louisville, Ky./Saint
Xavier H.S.) followed with a double. A
walk to Gaedele loaded the bases and DeBruin put the Crusaders on top with a
single into center. Mulhsteff followed
with a sacrifice fly to plate McCormick and Matt Lenski (Milwaukee,
Wis./Marquette
University H.S.) added a run-scoring single to make it 3-0.
The Fighting Sioux responded
in the eighth as Andrew Sadler had a two out single and Marek added a base hit
to cut the lead to 3-2. Jarad Miller (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll
H.S.) got a bases loaded strikeout of Gudmunson though to get out of the jam
and pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.
Berry earned the victory (2-4), pitching 7.2 innings and
allowing just two runs and four hits while striking out five.
“Both starters were
outstanding today,” Woodson said. “They
have been good all year.”
Lenski, who went 4-for-4 at Indiana on Wednesday,
had a 3-for-3 game, including a double while DeBruin also had two hits.
“He (Lenski) was tremendous
in the opener,” Woodson added. “He’s a
better hitter now that he can go the other way instead of just pulling
everything.”
Valparaiso (12-15) and North
Dakota (6-17) will wrap up their weekend series with
another doubleheader on Saturday. First
pitch at Emory G. Bauer Field is set for noon with the action carried live on
WVUR (95.1-FM, Valparaiso)
and online at www.valpoathletics.com.