• Freshman Camden Kaufman drives in four runs as DMACC takes the opener, 17-12
• Freshman Dillon Kuehl homers in 13-1 win in the second game
• Freshmen Vinny Mauro and Ty Madison earn victories

The DMACC baseball team improved to 11-8 for the season by sweeping a doubleheader from the Ottawa University Junior Varsity (OUJV) March 15 at Ottawa, Kansas.

The Bears took the opener, 17-12, and needed just five innings for a 13-1 win in the second game.

Freshman Camden Kaufman of Waukee drove in four runs and sophomore Sergio Lira Ayala of Nappannee, Ind., had three RBIs in DMACC's win in the opener. The Bears took a four-run lead in the first, made it a 6-0 game with two runs in the third and scored six runs in the fourth to go ahead 12-0. OUJV responded with 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 12-11 game before DMACC got the win with four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. OUJV scored its other run in the bottom of the sixth.

Kaufman led DMACC's 15-hit attack with a pair of doubles and a single and Lira Ayala and sophomores Gage Franck of Marion and Sam Holling of Waukesha, Wis., had two hits apiece. Franck, sophomore Reed Stallman of Marion, Holling and freshman Jaylen Ziegler of Urbandale hit doubles and sophomore Brodie Kresser of Jesup homered. Franck and Kresser drove in two runs apiece.

Freshman Vinny Mauro of Norwalk pitched the first three innings and earned his first decision of the season. He didn't allow a hit, struck out one and walked one. Freshman Jackson Horras of Pekin gave up one run and walked two batters but was not credited with any innings pitched and freshman Nick Wiepen of Omaha, Neb., allowed four runs on one hit and walked two batters in a third of an inning. Freshman Daniel Lester of Bellevue, Neb., surrendered five runs on one hit and walked two batters but was not credited with any innings pitched and freshman Cooper Smith of Johnston got his first save of the season with three and two-thirds innings on the mound. He allowed two runs on two hits, struck out four and walked two.

Ziegler had three hits and drove in two runs and freshman Dillon Kuehl of Urbandale homered and drove in two runs in DMACC's win in the second game. The Bears took an 8-0 lead in the first, scored once in the second, three times in the third and once in the fifth. OUJV scored its only run in the bottom of the fifth and the game was called because of the mercy rule after OUJV was retired to end the inning.

Kaufman and Kresser had two hits apiece in the win, including a triple by Kresser. Ziegler had two doubles and Stallman and freshman Cory Bantam of Woodbine also doubled. Kresser also had two RBIs for the Bears.

Freshman Ty Madison pitched the first two innings and improved to 1-1 with the win. He allowed one hit and struck out five. Freshman Max Martin of Franklin, Wis., threw one inning and struck out two batters and freshman Alex Berends of Story City allowed one run on one hit and struck out three in one inning on the mound.

The DMACC baseball team will begin play in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) with a doubleheader against Northeast (Neb.) Community College (NECC) March 22 at the DMACC baseball diamond. NECC is 13-5 this season.