The Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) baseball team opened Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play with doubleheaders against Ellsworth Community College (ECC) March 22 and 23 at the DMACC baseball diamond and came away with victories in three of the four games.

The Bears won the opener on May 22, 8-1, and swept both games on May 23, 6-5 and 8-2. ECC used a five-run rally in the top of the ninth to win the second game on May 22, 5-4.

The three wins give DMACC an 11-7 record and a 3-1 mark in the ICCAC.

Sophomore Calen Schwabe of Thompson, N.D., and freshman Jacob Pinkerton of Beatrice, Neb., had two hits apiece and Pinkerton and freshman Morgan Holmes of Minneapolis, Minn., each drove in two runs to pace the Bears in their win on May 22.

DMACC scored five runs in the bottom of the first and all but put the game out of reach with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. ECC tallied its lone run in the top of the inning.

Freshman Jackson Uner of Maplewood, Minn., pitched the first five innings and improved to 2-1 with the win. He allowed one run on three hits, struck out two and walked three. Freshman Thomas Bruchu of Stillwater, Minn., worked one inning and struck out one batter and freshman Cole Schumacher of Bennington, Neb., pitched one inning and retired all three batters he faced.

Freshman Grant Bohling of Lincoln, Neb., had three hits and Holmes, sophomore Denver Blinn of West Fargo, N.D., and Pinkerton each drove in one run for DMACC in the second game.

The Bears scored single runs in each of the first, second, fifth and sixth innings for a 4-0 lead before ECC rallied in the ninth to come away with the win.

Freshman Logan Ymker of Sioux Falls, S.D., went the first six innings, allowing five hits and striking out five batters. Freshman Nathaniel Gorczyca of Omaha, Neb., pitched two and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on two hits. He struck out six and walked one. Sophomore Chris Witzke of Humboldt faced four batters, walking two, and allowing one run on one hit and suffered the loss in his first decision of the season. Bruchu pitched a third on an inning and retired the only batter he faced.

Pinkerton drove in a pair of runs and Schwabe, Blinn and freshman Dylan Voves of Mason City had one RBI apiece as DMACC took the opener on March 23. ECC grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second but DMACC tied it in the bottom of the inning and then opened up a 5-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third. ECC made it a 5-3 game with a run in the fourth and tied it with two runs in the sixth before the Bears rallied with a run in the bottom of the seventh on a run-scoring single by Voves.

Sophomore Spencer Hanson of West Des Moines pitched five and a third innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. He struck out four and walked two. Freshman Jakob Richardson of Cave Creek, Ariz., worked an inning and two-thirds and got his first win of the second on a two-hitter. He struck out two and walked two.

Voves had four hits, including a pair of doubles, Schwabe came away with three and sophomore Misael Sanchez of Allentown, Penn., had two as the Bears closed out the series with a win in the second game on March 23. They took a 2-0 lead in the first, added three runs in the second and scored three more in the sixth. ECC tallied its only two runs in the top of the seventh.

Freshman Henry Ristvedt of Savage, Minn., pitched six innings and earned his second win of the season against one loss. He allowed one hit, struck out nine and walked three. Schumacher worked an inning, allowing two runs on one hit and walking one batter and freshman Hayden Thomsen of Maple Grove, Minn., pitched two innings, allowing one hit, striking out two and walking one.

The DMACC baseball team will face the Central College junior varsity in a doubleheader March 26 at Pella.