FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University picked up two wins over Northwestern College at home on Tuesday to take the season series 3-1. With the Red Raiders serving as the home team at Moller Field. the Warriors won the first game of the rescheduled doubleheader 2-0 and then won an extra-innings thriller 11-10. The victories move Midland above .500-mark once more at 11-10 and run its record in Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) games to 3-1.
GAME ONE: Midland 2, Northwestern 0
It was another pitching duel in the first game of the doubleheader between the Warriors and the Red Raiders.
With overcast skies and temperatures in the low 50s, it was a scoreless draw until the final inning. Owen Kelley and Dylan Kirkeby traded innings with both working efficiently on the mound. Through the six scoreless innings, Kelley had allowed just one hit while Kirkeby limited the Warriors to two hits.
In the top of the 7th, Alec Villanueva got on base with a walk from the Raiders’ reliever who came on to start the inning. Haydn Crawford doubled to left-center to bring Villanueva home, putting the first run of the game on the scoreboard. Trey Rodriguez pinch-ran for Crawford and with a sacrifice fly from Dax Wandler, he made his way to third. Trey Nichols singled to bring Rodriguez home, giving the Midland defense an insurance run heading into the final half inning.
Kelley put the final touches on his complete-game shutout win, working around a walk and a single. For the game, he allowed three hits, walked one, and struck out four Raiders.
Statistical Standouts
- Haydn Crawford: 2-3, RBI, 2B
- Trey Nichols: 1-3, RBI
- Owen Kelley: 7IP, 3H, 0E, 4K
GAME TWO: Midland 11, Northwestern 10
After a low-scoring game one, fans were treated to plenty of runs in the final game of the series. Following a scoreless 1st inning, the Warriors broke through as they opened up the top of the 2nd with a single by Connor Petersen. After a double play by the Raiders, Dax Wandler was walked to put a Warrior back on base. Alec Villanueva singled to shortstop as Wandler advanced to second. Yealex Lopez singled to center field to bring Wandler home before the inning ended to give Midland an early lead of 1-0.
The Red Raiders were eager to come back, as they scored two runs off two hits and were aided by two errors from the Warriors’ defense. They increased their lead in the bottom of the 3rd, adding one more run to the board to make it 3-1.
Haydn Crawford fired up his bat to break the scoreless streak for the Warriors as he homered out to the left field to start the 4th. Wandler got on base with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice groundout by Villanueva. Lopez singled to first base, and with a Red Raiders’ error, was able to advance to second as Wandler found his way home. Beau Boyle followed with a single of his own, bringing in Lopez to make it 4-3 in their favor.
Northwestern brought the game back even in the bottom of the 4th with a double, followed by a single to get a runner home.
Bats began to strike for both teams in the 5th inning as the Warriors started in the top with back-to-back singles by Nathaniel Reyes and Jacob Liquori. Both runners advanced with a ground out and then the bases loaded up full of Warriors as Connor Petersen was hit by a pitch. Crawford stepped up to the plate and showed off his mighty swing once more, belting a grand slam to put the Warriors back on top 8-4.
The lead was short-lived as the Red Raiders brought the game back to a tie of 8-8 in the bottom of the 5th as they scored four runs off three hits.
The game, which was scheduled as a seven-inning midweek game, was forced into extra innings as the teams were held in check.
In the 9th, Jayden Gibson was walked and then subbed out for Trystan Mills who came on as a courteous runner. Mills stole second base to put him into scoring position. The Raiders intentionally walked the dangerous Crawford, to go after Wandler with one out. He worked a walk, his third of the game, to load the bases up. With both teams on their toes and the fans who braved the cold on their feet, Villaneuva stepped up to the plate and doubled to left field. All three base runners were able to come in on the bases-clearing hit, putting Midland in front 11-8.
In their half of 9th, the Red Raiders attempted one more comeback. They got a runner on base with a two-out hit by pitch and then the next batter turned on the offering for a two-run homer. After a single and a walk put the winning runs on base, a mound visit by head coach Chad Miller settled the defense and Liquori who had come on to pitch all the way back in the 5th inning.
Facing one of the hottest hitters in the Northwestern lineup, Liquori dug deep and struck out the final batter to earn Midland the 11-10 extra-inning victory.
Trey Nichols earned the start for the Warriors and went 4.0 innings before turning it over to the bullpen. After Cody Kent and Luis Lepe, each recorded an out, Liquori moved in from right field and went the rest of the way. He earned the win while allowing three hits, two walks, and just two earned runs. He struck out 4 of the 15 batters he faced.
Statistical Standouts
- Nathaniel Reyes: 2-for-5, R
- Haydn Crawford: 2-for-4, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 HR
- Alec Villanueva: 2-for-5, 3 RBI, 2B
- Yealex Lopez: 2-for-3, RBI, R
- Beau Boyle: 3-for-4, RBI
- Dax Wandler: 0-for-1, 3 R, 3 BB
“It is always nice to get both games of a doubleheader, especially against a conference team,” commented Coach Miller. “We had to dig down this week with so many of our guys banged up. We got some gutsy performances from some of our leaders today. Owen pitched a great game one for us which allowed us to piece the second game together. Trey gave us four solid innings and then Jake carried us over the final four. Northwestern is a veteran team and will be in every game they play this season. For us to come together and win the series sets us up well for the start of conference.”
Midland (11-10, 3-1 GPAC) will be back in action on Friday and Saturday this week with doubleheaders against Dordt (12-8, 0-2 GPAC). The four-game series will take place in Fremont with the Defenders’ field not quite ready for spring yet. First pitch on Friday is to be determined with a 3:00 p.m. start slated for Saturday at Moller Field.
