Norse Baseball Team Swept By Dakota County Tech

WELLS--The Bay College Norse baseball team could not a timely hit on Friday, losing both games to Dakota County (Minn.) Technical College, 3-1 and 5-0, in Wells Township.

The Norse lost both games despite strong pitching from Tyler Skufca and Logan Bailey, and the Blue Knights played errorless ball in both games of the twinbill.

In the opener, all three runs against Skufca were unearned. The first inning began with a misplayed fly ball to left field, and that batter, Clayton Harris, eventually scored on a base hit by Parker Savard.

Skufca gave up a double to Carter Wendlandt in the second inning, but he struck out three batters in the inning to keep it a 1-0 game.

It stayed 1-0 until the fifth inning when Harris came through with a two-out, two-run double after the leadoff man reached base on an infield error.

The Norse, meanwhile, had trouble hitting DCTC pitcher Alex Winslow for a second straight week. He struck out 13 batters in a 6-0 Blue Knight win last week in Minnesota, and this time, he carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Oliver Dunn broke up the no-no with a two-out base hit (after Owen Hanson walked).

The Norse had two men on, but Mark Zhang struck out, ending the inning.

Skufca gave up a single and a double in the top of the seventh, but got a strike out and fly ball to keep it a 3-0 game. Then in the bottom of the seventh, Bay made a comeback attempt.

The first two batters struck out, but Lucas Weinert kept it doing by drawing a two-out walk. Kyler Moir followed with a long double to the right field fence, and Weinert scored all the way from first base.

The game ended, however, when Justin Popelka’s grounder toward left field was stabbed by DCTC third baseman Caleb Ditmarson.

Dirmarson’s throw to first pulled Wendlandt off the bag, but he applied the sweep tag to retire Popelka, and end the contest. Winslow settled for a two-hitter, with 12 strikeouts and two walks.

In the second game, Bailey had a wicked curveball working, as he struck out at least one batter in every inning. But Ian Walker led off the second inning with a solo home run to put DCTC in front. The Blue Knights tacked on another run in the fifth inning when Henry Laue led off with a single, and after two strikeouts, he scored on a double by Mike Vohnoutka.

The Norse, trailing 2-0, had a scoring chance in the bottom of the fifth inning when Dane Vandenveuval led off with a double. DCTC pitcher John McCaustlin got the next two men on a strikeout and a groundout, but then he hit Sam McDonald with a pitch to put runners at the corners.

Weinert, however, popped up to end the threat.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Norse had their best chance to score, when Dunn walked and Moir followed with a double. Popelka walked, loading the bases with only one out.

But Vandenheuval and Ty Ziegler both struck out to end the inning, with DCTC still leading, 2-0.

The Blue Knights put the game away in the top of the seventh inning when, with two out, Laue launched a three-run homer to make it a 5-0 game. The Norse went out 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Bailey ended up striking out 14 batters, but the nine hits and two home runs equaled five earned runs.

McCaustlin threw the final inning for the Blue Knights, who improved to 28-15 on the season, including a 6-0 record against Bay. They qualified for the NJCAA Regional Tournament, while the Norse fell to 10-20-1 on the season and have been eliminated from post-season consideration.

The Norse and Blue Knights will play two more games on Saturday on Wells, with the first pitch set for 1:00. The games will be broadcast on News Talk 600 AM, and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Garrett Finkbeiner. Also click the AUDIO button to hear post-game comments from Norse Coach Mike Pankow.