• DMACC takes the first game, 3-2
• Ellsworth CC wins the nightcap, 12-10
• DMACC closes out regular season against Iowa Lakes CC

Freshman Archer Ogbourne of Carlisle scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by freshman Adam Leininger of Fargo, N.D., in the bottom of the seventh inning as the DMACC baseball team defeated Ellsworth Community College (ECC), 3-2, in the first game of a doubleheader April 29 at the DMACC baseball diamond.

ECC took the second game, 12-10, sending the Bears to 21-27 overall and 15-15 in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC). The Panthers are 34-19 overall and 18-12 in conference play.

Freshman Cole Baumgart of Clarinda led off the DMACC seventh by being hit by a pitch. He moved to second on Ogbourne's single and both runners moved up on a bunt single by freshman Blake Crancer of Normal, Ill. Sophomore Kaden Frommelt of Marion then forced Baumgart at home on a grounder to shortstop before Leininger ended the game with a fly ball to left field.

The Bears took a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring double by sophomore Jackson Manning od Keosauqua in the first inning and opened up a 2-0 lead when Baumgart scored on a double by Frommelt. ECC tied the game with one run in each of the sixth and seventh innings.

Ogbourne and Crancer paced DMACC at the plate with two hits apiece.

Sophomore Carter Woollums of Johnston pitched the first six and two-thirds innings for DMACC, allowing two runs on five hits and four strikeouts. Sophomore Brennan Haman of West Fargo, N.D., pitched a third of an inning and got the win in his first decision of the season. He struck out one batter and walked one.

DMACC had a 4-2 lead after the first inning of the second game and led 5-2 after two innings but ECC rallied for five runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and four in the sixth to come away with the win. DMACC tallied a run in the fifth, two in the sixth and one each in the seventh and ninth innings.

Frommelt and freshman Brock Moore of Urbandale drove in three runs apiece for DMACC. Frommelt hit sacrifice flies in the first and second innings and had a solo home run in the sixth. Moore had a two-run double in the first and a run-scoring single in the fifth.

Moore led the Bears at the plate with three hits, including a triple, to go with his double, and Leininger and freshman Jake Espeland of Des Moines had two hits apiece, including a double by Espeland.

Freshman Rhett Pleggenkuhle of Van Meter pitched the first two and two-thirds innings for DMACC, allowing two runs on one hit with three strikeouts and three walks. Freshman Zack Turpin of Waukee went a third of an inning, allowing three runs and a walk and freshman Andrew Theiss of Clear Lake pitched two innings and gave up three runs on three hits with a strikeout and two walks. He took the loss to fall to 1-3 for the season. Freshman Carter Hines of Fruita, Colo., pitched a third of an inning and gave up three runs on one hit with one walk and freshman Gage Miller of Mandan, N.D., closed out the game with three and two-thirds innings on the mound. He allowed one run on two hits, struck out five and walked one.

The DMACC baseball team will close out the regular season with a three-game series against Iowa Lakes May 3 and 4 at the DMACC baseball diamond. The two teams will play a doubleheader on May 3 and a single game on May 4. ILCC is 9-39 overall and 1-27 in the ICCAC.