The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) baseball team stepped away from Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play to face Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) in a doubleheader April 26 at the DMACC baseball diamond.
The Bears took the opener, 13-2, but lost the nightcap, 4-2, and are one game above .55 at 23-22 for the season.
Freshman Jack Johnson of St. Paul, Minn., homered and drove in four runs to lead DMACC to its win in the first game. Sophomore Michael Michalak of Rochester, Minn., and freshman Keil Krumwiede of Glasgow, Mont., had two hits apiece in the win and Krumwiede drove in three runs.
DMACC led 4-1 after three innings and put the game out of reach with four runs in the third and five in the fourth. The game was called because of the 10-run mercy rule after DCTC batted in the top of the fifth.
Freshman Mason McClung of Lincoln, Neb., pitched the first two innings and earned his first win of the season against two losses. McClung allowed one run on two hits, struck out one and did not issue a walk. Freshman Luke Wade of Wayzata, Minn., threw two innings of hitless baseball and freshman T.J. Fetters of Pleasant Hill pitched one inning, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out one batter.
DMACC was held to just three hits in losing the second game. Freshman Chris Witzke of Humboldt and sophomore Conner Klostermann of Dyersville each doubled in the loss and freshman Noah Heitshusen of Williamsburg had a single.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings. DCTC took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the fourth and added a pair of runs in the sixth. DMACC made it a 4-1 game with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams scored a run in their half of the seventh as DCTC came away with the win.
Freshman Luke Longmuir of Cottage Grove, Minn., pitched the first two innings for the Bears, allowing one hit, striking out one batter and walking one. Freshman Tyler Bujanowski of Oak Creek, Wis., also worked two innings and allowed one run on two hits with one walk. Freshmen Moise Carrasco of Daytona, Fla., and Matt Lien of Pine Island, Minn., and sophomore Ryan Mudge of Ankeny each pitched one inning. Carrasco allowed one run on two hits and struck out one batter and Lien gave up a run on two hits and also struck out one batter. Mudge also gave up a run on two hits and walked a batter. Bujanowski suffered the loss and fell to 1-1 for the season.
The DMACC baseball team will face Southeastern Community College (SECC) in doubleheaders April 29 and 30 at Burlington. The Blackhawks, ranked 13th in the most recent Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II poll, are 35-13 overall and lead the ICCAC at 12-4. DMACC is 11-9 in league play.