The Northwestern College baseball team defeated Briar Cliff 6-3 in an elimination game at the NAIA Region III Baseball Tournament. The six-team, double-elimination event is being played in Mayville, N.D. With the win, the Red Raiders advance to tomorrow's semifinal game with a 28-17 overall record. The defending Region III champions will play Jamestown (2-0) at 1:00 pm on May 10.
Coach Wede's squad scored one run in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to take a 3-0 lead. Briar Cliff came back with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh to cut the Red Raider advantage to 3-2. Northwestern, however, responded with three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a three-run home run by Codie Zeutenhorst to grab a 6-2 lead. The Chargers scored one more run in the ninth inning but NWC held on for their 28th win of the season.
Offensively, Northwestern was led by Brad Payne who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. He put NWC ahead in the fourth inning with a solo home run. Zeutenhorst went 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBIs while Mike Zoellner went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Mihai Burlea earned the win on the mound to improve to 9-4 this season. The senior went 7.1 innings and gave up three hits and no earned runs. Burlea struck out eight. Trevor Kuiper pitched the final 1.2 innings to earn his first save of the year.
Northwestern, now 2-1 at the tournament, will play Jamestown (2-0) tomorrow at 1:00 pm. The Jimmies are playing Mayville State (1-1) this evening at 4:00pm. Follow the official tournament web-site at the following link: Region III Tournament.
2008 Media Guide
