OLATHE, KANSAS – Grand View opens up their conference play with an opponent that is out for revenge after the Vikings beat them in the Heart of America Conference Championship game a year ago.  The Vikings are looked to open up their conference play like they ended their non-conference schedule to begin their season. The Pioneers of MidAmerica are currently Receiving Votes after opening up the season in the top 25.

GAME 1:
The Vikings offense continues to get things going in the first inning as Eric Broekemier hit a sac fly to center to score Stalder from third. The Pioneers could plate a run in the bottom of the first to even things up. Moving to the second inning, a walk and a stolen base from Brook Heinen set him up in scoring position where Wadel would single to the left side, bringing in his 15th RBI of the season. The Viking Defense made some highlight plays throughout the game but could not stop the Pioneer's bats as they would lose the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning. Grand View put together a rally late but would fall short. Heinien started the top of the 6th with a lead-off home run to bring the Vikings within one. The remainder of the Vikings batters would be retired to close out game one.

GAME 2:
Wadel scores off a SAC fly from Himrich to wrap up the first inning of Game 2. Senior Ryan Roby would make his second start of his 2024 season. Roby would give up 4 runs in the first in his 4 innings of work before reliever Jacob Wolver would get the Vikings out of a jam in the 5th inning, trailing 5-4. Things would get interesting in the top of the 7th when Wadel would walk for the second time in the game. He would work his way to third with 2 outs, where Broekemeier doubled to left field off the new Pioneer pitcher to tie the game at 5. Bryce Stalder would run for Broekemeier and advance to third on a wild pitch. Brock Jonson would single up in the middle to take the lead for the first time in the game. The Vikings would leave the bases loaded to end the 7th inning. Drew Scherbenske would get credited with the loss for the Vikings as they were inches away from winning game 2.

GAME 3:
In an offensive battle in the first game of the day, Brock Rinehart Started things off with a solo shot to right field, putting the Vikings on the board. Rinehart would have two home runs in the game and one in the third inning. MNU would get 4 back on a home run of their own to center, making it 4-1, ending the first inning.  The Pioneers would end up with 21 hits, scoring 19 runs to Grand Views, 11 hits, and 5 runs on a windy day in Olathe, Kansas, making it a hitter's type of day. MidAmerica Nazarene was able to outhit the Vikings in the third game of the series.

GAME 4:
Logan Smith got his 4th start of the season in the 4th game of the series, trying to avoid the series sweep. Grand View jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Broekemeier would single up the middle, bringing home Brock Jonson. Heinen would keep the hot bat going into the second, hitting his second home run of the day to left field, putting the Vikings up 2-0. The Vikings would put up 6 runs in the next two innings to put them ahead 8-4, moving to the 4th inning. Balderas would add two more to the top of the 4th, making it 10-4. MNU would knock Smith out of the game before Wolver would end the damage, making it 10-8. Scherbinske would come in for the Vikings to try and get the two innings save, but after two walks in the bottom of the 7th, Josh Stoll would come in relief. Stoll would give up a home run to the right to conclude game 2 of the doubleheader.

GAME NOTES
• The Vikings would plate a run in the first inning of every game in the series.
• Eric Brokemier would go 3-7 with 6 RBI's and 2 2B's on day 1.
• Heinen and Rinehart would both have a pair of home runs on the day on day 2.
• The Vikings tallied 35 hits in 4 games.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Vikings go to Dubuque, IA, to face Clarke University in another top-of-the-conference match-up where these two teams are very familiar with one another; the first pitch is Saturday at 1:00 p.m.. Grand View went 4-1 versus the Pride last year.