The Northwestern College baseball team knocked off top-seed Morningside, 12-2 in seven innings, in an elimination game at the NAIA Region III Baseball Tournament. With the win, the Red Raiders improve to 27-17 overall and will play tomorrow (Friday) at 1:00 pm against an opponent to be determined. Morningside, the GPAC Postseason champions and top seed in the six-team regional tournament, has been eliminated.
The Red Raiders scored two runs in the first inning and blew the game open with an eight-run fifth inning. Codie Zeutenhorst belted a three-run home run and Brad Payne hit a two-run shot in the decisive fifth inning. Scott Mineart added a two-run double for Coach Wede's squad. Joe Heitritter added two hits, both singles, and broke the school record for most singles in a career (151). He surpassed Dietrich Jache's mark of 150 set in 2005. Northwestern rounded out the scoring with one run in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Mike Zoellner earned the complete game victory to improve to 5-1 this season. The freshman lefthander carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowed just three hits. Zoellner walked three and struck out 12.
Yesterday, the Red Raiders lost to Jamestown, 12-1 in seven innings, in the first game of the 2008 NAIA Region III Baseball Tournament. The Jimmies scored five runs in the first inning and two more in the seventh to chase NWC starting pitcher, Mihai Burlea, after 1.1 innings of work. Northwestern scored a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Zoellner that scored Heitritter. Jamestown responded with four runs in the fourth inning to take an 11-1 lead. The Jimmies scored their final run in the seventh for the final score of 12-1.
Burlea picked up the loss as the senior went 1.1 innings and allowed three hits, seven runs but just three earned, and walked four. Joe Grady pitched 4.2 innings and allowed six hits and four runs, just one earned, while Stuart Moore pitched the final inning. Offensively, Northwestern was led by Matt Gray who went 2-for-3 while five other Red Raiders had one hit apiece.
Northwestern will play tomorrow afternoon at 1:00pm in another elimination game against either Briar Cliff or the loser of the Jamestown/Mayville State game.
2008 Media Guide
