- Freshman Jake Thilges of Johnston homers in deciding game
- Freshman Nick Crandell of Johnston tosses four-hitter in 4-1 win
- DMACC to open Four-Team Double-Elimination Tournament against Kirkwood Community College
Freshman Nick Crandell of Johnston threw a four-hitter and freshman Jake Thilges of Johnston homered as the DMACC baseball team defeated Southeastern Community College (SECC), 4-1, in the third and deciding game of a best-of-three series in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XI Division II Baseball Tournament May 10 at Burlington.
With the win the Bears advance to the Four-Team Double-Elimination Tournament May 14 to 16 at Cedar Rapids. DMACC will face Kirkwood Community College (KCC) at 4 game on May 14. The tournament continues through May 16 with the championship game set for noon on the 16th. A second championship game, if necessary, will be played immediately following the first championship game.
DMACC, 23-26 overall, opened the best-of-three series against SECC with a 2-1 win on May 8. SECC scored a run in the bottom of the 10th to come away with a 9-8 decision in the first game on May 10, requiring a third and deciding game. The Bears took that one, 4-1, behind Crandell's four-hitter and Thilges' homer.
DMACC, which lost three of four games against SECC during the regular season, took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and padded its advantage with three runs in the top of the seventh. SECC made it a 4-1 game with a run in the bottom of the seventh.
Thilges and freshmen Jackson Fisher of Chariton, Kaleb Harrison of Neola and Tre Mungin of Omaha, Neb., had two hits apiece for the Bears and Fisher and freshman Brett Nippolt of St. Paul, Minn., each doubled in the game. Fisher, freshman Brett Berg of West Des Moines, Thilges and Mungin drove in one run apiece.
Crandell went the first eight innings and improved to 2-5 with the win. Freshman Krier of Altoona, who saved the 2-1 win on May 8, threw two innings and earned another save. He recorded one walk.
SECC took a 3-0 lead in the first inning and led 5-1 after two innings in coming away with a 9-8 decision in the first game on May 10. DMACC trailed 7-3 after four innings and 8-3 after seven innings before tying the game with five runs in the top of the eighth. SECC then got the win on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth.
Nippolt, Berg and freshmen Cadyn Schwabe of Thompson, N.D., and Jayden Singleton of Des Moines had two hits apiece for DMACC and Thilges and Singleton each doubled. Schwabe drove in three run and Fisher and Thilges had two RBIs apiece.
Freshman Jacob Draeger of Johnston pitched the first two innings for the Bears, allowing five runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked two. Freshman Cade Van Ness of Glenwood went two and a third innings, allowing two runs on two hits. He struck out two and walked one. Freshman Jacob Norris of North Liberty threw an inning and two-thirds, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks and freshman Bret Price of Boone, gave up two hits and struck out one batter in two and two-thirds innings. Freshman Ray Ray Douglas of Sioux City went one inning and fell to 0-2 with the loss. He gave up one run, struck out two batters and walked three.
DMACC was 1-3 against KCC during the regular season. The two teams split a double header on April 2 with KCC taking the opener, 7-0, and DMACC winning the nightcap, 11-8. KCC swept a doubleheader on April 3, 12-10 and 11-9.
Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NECC) and Iowa Central Community College (ICCC) are the other two teams playing in the Four-Team Double-Elimination Tournament. They will meet in the first game on May 14.