• DMACC is 21-33 overall and 17-25 in the ICCAC
• Freshman Kaleb Harrison of Neola homers and drives in three runs as Bears take opener, 12-4
• DMACC lets a 5-0 lead slip away in losing the final game of the series, 9-7

The DMACC baseball team saw its record drop to 21-33 overall and 17-25 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) after losing three of four games to Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) May 1 and 2 at Centerville.

DMACC took the opening game of the series on May 1, 12-4, behind a home run and three runs batted in from freshman Kaleb Harrison of Neola. IHCC won the second game, 5-2, and won both games on May 3, 5-1 and 7-9.

Freshman Sam Nicolino of Des Moines had three hits, including a double, and Harrison, freshmen Ben Nippolt of St. Paul, Minn., Jackson Fisher of Chariton and Cadyn Schwabe of Thompson, N.D., had two hits apiece for the Bears in the opener on May 2. Nicolino and freshman Tre Mungin of Omaha, Neb., each doubled in the win, Harrison had a triple to go with his home run and Nippolt also tripled for DMACC. The Bears trailed 4-0 after three innings but took an 8-4 lead with eight runs in the top of the fifth and closed out the win with four runs in the top of the sixth.

Fisher, Nippolt and freshman Jake Thilges of Johnston drove in two runs apiece in the win.

Freshman Jacob Draeger of Johnston pitched the first three innings for DMACC, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two. Freshman Josh Ylonen of Ames went one inning and walked two batters but came away with the win, his first of the season against no losses. Freshman Cade Van Ness of Glenwood went three innings and allowed one hit. He struck out five and walked two.

DMACC had a 2-0 lead after five innings in the second game, but IHCC tied it with two runs in the bottom of the seventh and three in the bottom of the eighth to get the win.

The Bears were limited to five hits, including two each by Harrison and Nicolino, including a solo home run from Harrison.

Freshman Anthony Potthoff of Van Meter pitched five innings for DMACC, allowing two hits, striking out two and walking six. Freshman Skout Lave of Ozark, Mo., went an inning and a third, allowing two runs on one hit. He struck out two and walked two. Freshman Jacob Norris of North Liberty threw one inning and fell to 0-2 with the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits and walked two batters. Freshman Greg Ryun of Victoria, Minn., pitched two-thirds of an inning, surrendering two hits and walking one batter.

DMACC collected just three hits, including a double by Mungin, in losing the first game on May 3. Harrison and Schwabe also had hits in the game and Mungin drove in the Bears' only run.

Freshman Kaleb Krier of Altoona threw the first four innings for DMACC and suffered his third loss of the season against five wins. He allowed four runs on five hits, struck out six and walked one. Freshman Ray Ray Douglas of Sioux City went an inning and a third, allowing one run on one hit, striking out one batter and walking one. Freshman Bret Price of Boone went two-thirds of an inning and retired the only two batters he faced.

DMACC let a 5-0 lead slip away in losing the final game of the series. The Bears led 5-0 after the first inning but IHCC clawed back to make it a 5-3 game with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth. The Bears went up 6-3 with a run in the sixth but IHCC took a 7-6 lead with four runs in the bottom of the seventh and padded its lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. DMACC scored its other run in the top of the ninth.

Thilges and freshman Brett Berg of West Des Moines led the Bears with three hits and three RBIs apiece. Both homered as did Mungin and Berg and Fisher had doubles.

Freshman Hayden Thompson of Maple Grove, Minn., pitched three and two-thirds inning, allowing two runs on one hit. He struck out three and walked four. Freshman Cole Kaufman of Waukee threw an inning and a third, allowing one run on two hits and walking one batter and freshman Kaden Peterson of Luther went an inning and a third and fell to 0-1 with the loss. He allowed four runs on three hits, struck out two and walked three. Freshman Blake Grevengoed of West Des Moines pitched an inning and two-thirds and allowed two runs on three hits. He walked one batter.

The DMACC baseball team closes out the regular season with a doubleheader against Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NECC) May 5 at the DMACC baseball diamond. NECC is 32-22 overall and 26-14 in the ICCAC. The Hawks swept a doubleheader from DMACC April 28 at Norfolk, Neb., winning by scores of 6-5 and 11-4.