NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College baseball team again took the field Monday in a single game against Mount Marty University JV. The Hawks took the contest by a final score of 11-5 with conference play on the horizon Tuesday.
Northeast (13-10) was lifted by the performance of Gabe Rodriguez (Thornton, Colo.) on the mound as the sophomore tossed three innings during his start and allowed just two hits and one earned run. Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.) had a fantastic day at the plate as the right fielder tallied three hits in three attempts. Jensen recorded a home run in the fourth inning, a ground-rule double in the sixth inning, two runs and five RBIs in what was a stellar performance. The Hawks will begin the conference portion of their schedule Tuesday as the next 33 games will decide where they stack up in the region.
STAT SHEET:
Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.): 3-3, HR, 2B, 2 R, 5 RBI
Brice Wallar (Papillion, Neb.): 3-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI
Gabe Rodriguez (Thornton, Colo.): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K
HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:
Head Baseball Coach Marcus Clapp on the season from Kale Jensen so far and the game as a whole:
“He’s done a good job of adjusting,” Clapp said. “He has done a better job of going the other way, and he did that today. He’s been a help for us, obviously. We need him to continue. We still need some other guys to step up a little bit. Rusty Wortman (Gretna, Neb.) got a knock there at the end and hopefully that will get him going. Again, we just have to play clean baseball.”
Clapp on conference play beginning tomorrow:
“I told the guys, all the fall stuff, all the winter stuff and the 23 nonconference games are all done now,” Clapp said. “It doesn’t matter now. The real season starts tomorrow. We have a new chapter. We’ll get after it and hopefully take care of business.”
UP NEXT:
The Hawks will open conference play in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday against Iowa lakes Community College at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in Norfolk.
