- Blue Dragons take the opener, 13-3, and win the nightcap, 6-5
- Sophomore Colin Driscoll homers for DMACC in the first game
- Sophomore Jackson Manning and freshman Archer Ogbourne drive in two runs apiece for DMACC in the second game
The DMACC baseball team closed out a four-game Kansas road trip with losses in both games of a doubleheader against Hutchinson Community College (HCC) February 25 at Hutchinson, Kansas.
HCC won the opener, 13-3, in six innings and completed the sweep with a 6-5 decision in the second game. The Blue Dragons, ranked 21st in the Division I poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), stayed unbeaten at 9-0 with the wins.
DMACC returns from the Kansas trip at 5-8. The Bears split a doubleheader on Feb. 24, beating Heartland (Kan.) Community College, 4-0, and losing to HCC, 4-3.
DMACC took a 1-0 lead in the first innings of the opener but HCC answered with three runs in the third and four in the fourth for a 7-1 lead. Both teams scored a one run apiece in the fifth inning and DMACC made it an 8-3 game with a run in the top of the sixth. HCC closed it out with five runs in the bottom of the inning when the game was called because of the mercy rule.
Sophomore Carter Bryan of Johnston and freshman Cole Baumgart of Clarinda led DMACC with two hits apiece ,including a double by Baumgart, and sophomore Colin Driscoll of Waukee belted a solo home run. Sophomores Jackson Manning of Keosauqua and Matt Rivers of Colfax had one double apiece as did freshman Jake Espeland of Des Moines.
Freshman Rhett Pleggenkuhle of Van Meter started on the mound for the Bears and suffered the loss to fall to 0-2 for the season. He pitched two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Sophomore Jaqson Tejada of Marion went a third of an inning and surrendered four runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout and freshman Eli Christensen of Ankeny gave up one run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in an inning and a third on the mound. Freshman Carter Van Meer of Inwood pitched two-thirds of an inning and gave up three runs on one hit and walked one batter and freshman Braxton Hoard of West Fargo, N.D., allowed two runs on one hit and walked one batter but was not credited with any innings pitched.
HCC broke a 5-5 tie with a run in the bottom of the sixth to come away with the win in the second game. DMACC took a 1-0 lead in the second but fell behind 5-1 after the Blue Dragons scored three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth. The Bears gained a 5-5 tie on four runs in the sixth.
Manning led the Bears at the plate, collecting two of DMACC's five hits, including a double. Ogbourne and freshman Adam Leininger of West Fargo, N.D., also doubled in the game and Ogbourne drove in two runs.
Freshman Jordan Leininger of West Fargo, N.D., pitched the first two innings for DMACC, allowing one hit and striking out one batter. Sophomore Bobby Uthe of Ames also went two innings and allowed three runs on two hits. He struck out two and walked one. Freshman Nick Cox of Polk City pitched the last two innings and fell to 0-1 with the loss. He allowed three runs on three hits and struck out two batters.