Baseball Splits with the Pride, With Game Four Victory

Lamoni, Iowa – The Graceland University Baseball team competed at home in a four-game series against the Clarke (Iowa) University Pride. The Yellowjackets fell in game three 18-2 and were stung by the Pride in game two 27-8.

Season Record: Graceland 15-23; 8-12 | Clarke 20-12; 13-6

Series Results:
Game 1: Graceland 5 | Clarke 9
Game 2: Graceland 2 | Clarke 10
Game 3: Graceland 2 | Clarke 18
Game 4: Graceland 27 | Clarke 8

Game 1: Graceland 2 | Clarke 18
The Scoring – Game 1
T1 – The Pride would get on the board first, scoring one run from an RBI single to right field (GU:0 |CU:1)
T2 – Twp Clarke runs would cross the plate from a solo homerun over the right center and a single to second (GU:0 |CU:3)
T3 – Clarke would have an offensive inning adding six runs (GU:0 |CU:9)
B3 – The Yellowjackets would score two from a Keith Whitaker single to bring in Skyler Harris and a Zach Tanabe single to right field; Javin Stevenson score (GU:2 |CU:9)
T5 – Two Pride runs would cross the plate from a sacrifice fly and a failed pick-off (GU:2 |CU:11)
T6 – Back-to-back home runs would score three Clarke runs (GU:2 |CU:14)
T7 – The Pride would cap their scoring by bringing in four runs (GU:2 |CU:18)

Game 1 Individual Leaders
Rafael Severino started for the Yellowjackets and went 3.0 innings, facing 21 batters and five strikeouts. Jacob Popovich would step to the mound next for 3.0 innings. Kristian Cardejon would close, going 1.0 innings.
The Yellowjackets had three hits, led by Keith Whitaker, Zach Tanabe and Kamaehu Sanchez.
Hits produced; 2B: Kamaehu Sanchez | RBI: Keith Whitaker, Zach Tanabe

Game 2: Graceland 27 | Clarke 8
The Scoring – Game 2
T1 – The Pride would add an early two runs from a triple down the left field line, and a sacrifice fly to center field (GU:0|CU:2)
B2 – Kamaehu Sanchez would get Graceland on the board with a single to left field to score Darwin Marquez (GU:1|CU:2)
T3 – One Pride run would score on a Graceland wild pitch (GU:1|CU:3)
B3 – A solo homerun by Zach Tanabe and a single to left field by Darwin Marquez, scoring Jacob Lopez, would add two runs (GU:3|CU:3)
B4 – Eight Graceland runs would score. Bryan Paez drilled a single to left field; Keith Whitaker would score. Paez would cross home plate from an Austin Wheeler single to left field. Darwin Marquez would single to center field to bring home Wheeler. Marquez was pushed home from an Ethan Balogh drilled single to center field. Kamaehu Sanchez's double to deep center field brought Kato Dougan home, and Sanchez scored from Zach Tanabe'sTanabe's single (GU:11|CU:3)
T5 – The Clarke would push to add runs and would add three runs (GU:11|CU:6)
B5 – The Yellowjackets would add eight more runs. Austin Wheeler would reach on a fielder'sfielder's choice, and Bryan Paez would score on a Pride error. Ethan Balogh drove a single to left field to bring home Javin Stevenson. A bases-loaded walk from Kamaehu Sanchez would rotate Wheeler home. Darwin Marquez and Balogh would collect a run on a Keith Whitaker single to center field. Paez would bring in three runs on a double to right center; Zach Tanabe, Whitaker, and Sanchez scored (GU:19|CU:6)
T6 – The Pride would try to close the deficit and would only add two runs from a single and a sacrifice fly (GU:19|CU:8)
B6 – The Yellowjackets would cap their scoring by adding eight runs. Gabriel Perez would div a double to center field to bring Darwin Marquez in. Trevor Yorges doubled down the left-field line to score Ethan Balogh. Perez would step on the home plate on an Elio Narvaez single to left field. Yorges would collect and go on a Ybrahim Quevedo drilled single down the left field fence. JD Woodruff would drive a three-run home run to close the game; Quevedo scored (GU:27|CU:8)

Game 2 Individual Leaders
Jacob Abernathey started the game and went in 2.0 innings, facing 12 batters. Stephen Eskridge (W, 2-0) stepped to the mound earning the win; he went 3.0 innings, facing 15 batters, allowing three runs on five hits and having seven strikeouts. Mason Krogsgaard entered the game for 1.0 innings, and Jorge Diaz would close the last inning.
The Yellowjackets had 25 hits, led by Darwin Marquez (5)
Hits produced; 2B: Trevor Yorges, Bryan Paez (2), Ybrahim Quevedo, Diego Hernandez, Kamaehu Sanchez (2), Gabriel Perez
HR: Zach Tanabe, JD Woodruff
RBI: Keith Whitaker (2), Trevor Yorges, Zach Tanabe (2), Elio Narvaez, Bryan Paez (5), Ybrahim Quevedo (2), JD Woodruff (3), Austin Wheeler (2), Darwin Marquez (2), Ethan Balogh (2), Kamaehu Sanchez (3), Gabriel Perez | Sac: Austin Wheeler
Stolen Bases; Keith Whitaker, Elio Narvaez, Javin Stevenson, Kato Dougan

Up Next:
Baseball will be back on their home field on Saturday, April 15, when they take on the Culver-Stockton College Bobcats. First pitch of game three is set for 1:00 pm.

-Yellowjackets-