QUINCY, ILLINIOS | DES MOINES, IOWA Grand View had an interesting series. The Vikings took the field against Culver-Stockton College for a four-game series. With field conditions under par from the mid-west weather, two games were played in Quincy, and two games were played back at Lou Yacinich Stadium. GV won the series 3-1.
SUNDAY (QUINCY, IL)
GAME 1
The highlight from game one came from the guy at the mound. Kaleb Krier started for the Vikings and what an outing he had. Krier went three up, three down in four innings. Kaleb let up just two hits and only walked one Culver batter on the day. Four strikeouts were found but a lot of trust in the defense that backed him up the whole game. Grand View had zero errors in the game and helped Krier to a complete game shutout.
The Vikings offense did what they needed in this one. Brock Johnson didn't waste any time to take the lead, as he started the game with a leadoff home run. Wadel played his role in the top of the second and sent a ball out to center field to bring in Heinen on a sacrifice fly. The Vikings were stumped for a while until the Vikings gave some cushion for Krier in the top of the seventh. Dane Schwirtz singled out to left and brought in two runners in the process. Brock Rinehart didn't leave him out there for long as he launched a ball opposite field for a two-run home run. This extended the lead to 6-0 and that is where it stayed.
GAME 2
The Vikings pitched Jason Moist in the second contest. Moist held the Wildcats to just six hits in the first four innings and only allowed one run to this point. He also had averaged a strikeout per inning with four.
Grand View found a rally in the second inning that held the lead for a moment. GV scored their first two runs on a Brook Heinen single up the middle. Carson Wadel put down a sacrifice bunt later in the inning to bring runners to second and third. Bryce Stalder took advantage of the team savvy play with a two RBI single that found its way through the middle of the diamond. GV scored on a Hank Himrich single in the top of the fifth which brought the lead to 5-1.
The Wildcats found some life in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning of their own. Jacob Wolver came in for Moist to get the Vikings off the field, and a tie ball game. After retiring the first batter in the sixth, Culver put singled four straight to give them a two-run lead. Although Grand View put together some momentum in the top of the seventh, they only put one run on the board before running out of outs. GV dropped game two, 6-7.
TUESDAY (DES MOINES, IA)
GAME 3
The Vikings were back on their home field, but as the away team for Tuesday's doubleheader. Evan Borst got the wheels turning in the first with a two RBI triple and then brought in by a Himrich single through the right side of the infield. Three more runs were put up in the second inning as Schwirtz sacrifice flied to right field. The other two were driven in by Borst once again, on a single to left center. A 7-0 lead was earned in the fourth inning with a Johnson double that brought in Heinen.
Grand View's lefty, Alex Foster, took the mound in game three. Foster dominated the game with six K's in just four innings pitched. Foster gave up just one run and only two hits on the afternoon. Noah Kueter came in to relieve and provided great command for two innings. Kueter threw 45 pitches and allowed only three hits and one run. Grand View backed him with great range being shown in the outfield.
The Vikings tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth. Runs were brought in by Himrich and Heinen respectably. Connor Canny also scored on a passed ball. Drew Scherbenske finished the game throwing for the Vikings and GV took game three, 14-4.
GAME 4
More of the same on offense for Grand View, finding 14 more runs in the final game of the series. Broekemeier singled through the left side to bring home Johnson. Borst kept his good series going with a double down the line in left and two runs scored. Both Brocks lifted a ball out of the yard in the second inning which gave GV two more. Bergkamp led the charge in the fourth inning when he lasered a single that let two runs score. Broekemeier contributed with an RBI on a fielder's choice later in the inning. The top of the fifth brought the lead to nine as Stalder singled up the right center-field gap.
Noah Schlup took care of business through his five innings stretch. Schlup threw only 68 pitches in his five innings and gave up five hits and no runs on the day. Schlup also executed four strikeouts in his outing and received another win on the season.
GV put on five more runs to end the game, including four in the sixth. Rinehart homered to start the inning on a belted ball. Borst singled later in the inning to bring home Broekemeier from third. Then Heinen took a big hack that lifted the ball over the left-field fence and brought in Borst with him. The Vikings added another in the seventh on a double from Tyler Lewnau. Tucker Christensen closed for the Vikings and earned two strikeouts on the single inning outing and gave up just one run. Grand View took the game 14-1 and the series won, 3-1.
UP NEXT
The baseball team will host a series this weekend against visiting Park University. The games will be Saturday, April 12th, at 1 PM & 3:30 PM.
