By: Scott DCamp, Northland Communications
Wakefield, Neb. -
The Northland Community & Technical College baseball team played for the first time in close to a month and dropped back-to-back double headers against Lake Region State College Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 All four games were played at a neutral site in Wakefield, Neb.
Saturday - Game 1
The Pioneers watched the game slip away early and couldn't recover in a 12-0 loss to Lake Region State College Royals on Saturday. The took the lead on a home run in the second inning.
The Pioneers struggled to put runs on the board and had a tough time defensively containing the Royals, giving up 12 runs.
In the second inning, the Royals got their offense started with a solo home run by Tyler Donohue.
One bright spot for the Pioneers Varsity was a double by Isaac Lopez in the second inning.
Riley Craw got the start for Lake Region State and went five innings, allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out seven.
Joseph Lopez led things off on the hill for the Pioneers. He went five innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits, striking out six and walking one.
Connor Hoyt led the Pioneers with two hits in four at bats.
The Royals racked up 14 hits. Donohue, Ronald Nelson, and Nick Smith each racked up multiple hits for the Royals Donohue went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Lake Region State College in hits. The Royals were sure-handed in the field and didn't commit a single error. Smith had the most chances in the field with 12.
Saturday - Game 2
The Pioneers ran off with the lead late in the game in a 14-8 victory over the Royals in game two on Saturday. The Pioneers trailed 8-7 in the bottom of the fifth inning when Isaac Lopez singled on a 2-2 count, scoring two runs.
The Pioneers earned the victory despite allowing the Royals to plate six runs in the second inning. The Royals were led by Marshel Herman, Trent Greek, Eli Cloninger, Brady Omdahl, and Cayd Watkins, all driving in runs in the frame.
Noah Warne led things off on the pitcher's mound for the Pioneers. The bulldog allowed eight hits and seven runs over two innings, striking out three.
Tyler Donohue started the game for the Royals. The right-hander went four innings, allowing five runs on four hits and striking out eight. Carter Newman and Clay Burden entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one inning and one inning respectively.
The Pioneers saw the ball well, racking up ten hits in the game. Keaden Kempert and Abel Rodriguez each had multiple hits for the Pioneers. Kempert led the Pioneers with three hits in four at bats. The Pioneers didn't commit a single error in the field. Matt Zepeda had the most chances in the field with seven.
the Royals racked up 13 hits on the day. Ronald Nelson, Siwak, Riley Craw, and Cloninger all had multiple hits for the Royals.
Sunday - Game 1
Northland fell behind early and couldn't come back in a 5-1 loss to the The Royals on Sunday. The Royals took the lead on a double in the first inning.
The Royals fired up the offense in the first inning. Lake Region State scored two runs when Tyler Donohue doubled.
Lake Region scored three runs in the fourth inning. The offensive firepower by the Royals was led by Ronald Nelson and Kaeden Siwak, who each had RBIs in the inning.
Devante Keim-Owens was credited with the victory for the Royals. The righthander allowed two hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out four. Max Elfman threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen.
JP Perez was on the mound for the Pioneers. The righthander went six innings, allowing five runs on seven hits and striking out six.
Ivan Tavarez went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Pioneers in hits.
The Royals tallied seven hits in the game. Donohue and Nelson all had multiple hits for the Royals.
Sunday - Game 2
The Pioneers fell to the Royals 18-17 on Sunday on the final play of the game. The game was tied at 17 with the Royals batting in the bottom of the eighth when Will Easton singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.
The Pioneers fell behind by five runs in the sixth inning, but then tried to fight back. The Pioneers scored five runs in the failed comeback on a single by
Keaden Kempert, a, a, and a error.
The Pioneers knotted the game up at 17 in the top of the seventh inning. An error scored two runs for the Pioneers.
After the Pioneers scored two runs in the top of the fourth, The Royals answered with two of their own. The Pioneers scored when David Perez homered on a 1-1 count, scoring two runs. Lake Region State then answered when Riley Craw homered on a 1-0 count, scoring two runs.
The Pioneers notched five runs in the seventh inning. The Pioneers' big bats in the inning were led by a single by Kempert, by Abel Rodriguez, by
Auden Venegas, and an error on a ball put in play by Matt Zepeda.
The Royals scored eight runs in the sixth inning. The offensive firepower by the Royals was led by Nick Smith, Ronald Nelson, Cayd Watkins, Kaeden Siwak, and Craw, who all drove in runs.
Eli Cloninger was the winning pitcher for the Royals. The right-hander lasted five innings, allowing three hits and five runs while striking out five.
Connor Hoyt started the game for the Pioneers. The southpaw lasted three innings, allowing six hits and seven runs while striking out two and walking one. Kempert and Odhan Manhas entered the game from the bullpen, throwing two innings and two innings respectively.
Nelson started the game for the Royals. Nelson went three innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits
The Pioneers smacked two home runs on the day. Perez had a long ball in the fourth inning. Hoyt went for the long ball in the second inning.
The Pioneers totaled 12 hits. Zepeda, Issac Mata, Isaac Lopez, and Hoyt all managed multiple hits for the Pioneers. Zepeda led the the Pioneers with three hits in four at bats.
The Royals racked up 18 hits. Craw, Watkins, Smith, Marshel Herman, Cloninger, and Brady Omdahl each had multiple hits for the Royals8. Craw went 4-for-5 at the plate to lead the Royals in hits.
