- SECC wins the opener, 13-3
- Blackhawks take the nightcap, 13-10
- Losses go to sophomore Carter Woollums and freshman Gage Miller
Southwestern Community College (SECC) maintained its grip on first place in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) baseball standings by sweeping a doubleheader from the DMACC baseball team April 23 at West Burlington.
The Blackhawks, ranked fifth in this week's Division II poll from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJACC), won by scores of 13-3 and 13-10 to improve to 37-10 overall and 21-3 in the ICCAC. DMACC fell to 17-26 and 11-14.
SECC took a 2-0 lead in the second inning of the opener, then fell behind 3-2 when DMACC freshman Blake Crancer belted a three-run home run in the top of the third. The Blackhawks responded with a run in the fourth to get a 3-3 tie and then put seven runs on the board in the fifth and three in the sixth when the game was called because of the mercy rule.
Crancer's homer was DMACC's only hit of the game.
Sophomore Carter Woollums of Johnston suffered the loss. He worked the first four and a third innings, allowing 10 runs on nine hits. He struck out two and walked three. Freshman Zack Turpin of Waukee pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on one hit and freshman Carter Hines of Fruita, Colo., pitched a third of an inning and gave up one run on two hits with one walk.
DMACC took a 4-0 lead in the second inning of the nightcap and then fell behind 10-4 when SECC tallied 10 runs in the bottom of the inning. The Blackhawks closed out their scoring with two runs in the third and one in the fourth. DMACC made it a 13-6 game with two runs in the sixth followed by four runs in the seventh.
Freshman Brock Moore of Urbandale led DMACC at the plate with a pair of singles and four RBIs. Freshman Jake Espeland of Des Moines had a double and drove in three runs and Crancer, freshman Archer Ogbourne of Carlisle and sophomore Kaden Frommelt of also doubled.
Sophomore Bobby Uthe of Ames pitched one inning and gave up three runs on three hits with three walks. Freshman Gage Miller of Mandan, N.D., went a third of an inning and suffered the loss. He allowed six runs on three hits and walked two batters. Freshman Rhett Pleggenkuhle of Van Meter threw an inning and two-thirds, allowing three runs on three hits and freshman Andrew Theiss of Clear Lake went two innings and allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts. Freshman Nick Cox of Polk City worked three innings, surrendering one hit and striking out three batters.
The DMACC baseball team will face Kirkwood Community College (KCC) in a three-game series April 26 and 27 at Cedar Rapids. The two teams will play a doubleheader on April 26 and a single game on April 27. KCC is 32-16 overall and 17-8 in the ICCAC. The Eagles are ranked 15th in NJCAA Division II.