Smith's Walk Off Single Lifts V-Hawks over Trojans

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Baseball team split a pair of games in a double header with Dakota state University (SD) on Friday afternoon. The V-Hawks mow sit at 6-28 (5-5 NSAA), while the Trojans are 22-9 (5-1 NSAA).

DSU took control of the first game with three runs on two hits in the top of the first, then added three more in the second, and finally added two more in the third to go up 8-0. In the bottom of the frame, Camden Smith scored on a passed ball to get the V-Hawks on the board. In the fourth inning, Smith brought in two runs on a single to right field, and in the sixth, VU scored three runs from a Garrett Heying RBI, a Ryan Mesa RBI single, and Jerod Gurden scoring on a passed ball. A solo home run from the Trojans put them ahead 9-6 in the seventh, and while the V-Hawks had two runners in the bottom, neither of them would reach home.  

Cody Wells led the V-Hawks, going 3-for-4, while Smith had two RBIs. Ryan McDaniel went 4-of-4 for DSU with four RBIs. Cale Beckman (L, 1-4) recorded the loss, Bryant Koenig had five strikeouts in 4.1 IP, Sam Tyrpa (W, 4-2) earned the win with six Ks, and Johan Freudenburg (Sv, 1) earned his first save of the year.

After just three hits between the two teams across the first three innings of the second game, Viterbo would take the first lead of the game on a Wells RBI the brought home Spencer Hans. The Tojans took the lead in the sixth with an RBI sacrifice bunt and RBI double. In the bottom of the ninth, Kyle Sontag's sacrifice bunt moved Chance Claman to third, Gavin Daniel brought him home, and Smith's single to right field brought home Marcus Hornacek for the win.

Smith, Heying, and Claman each had hits for the V-Hawks, while two Trojans posted two hits. Kyle Burns (W, 1-0) earned the win, and Hunter Vikemyr (L, 6-2) recorded the loss.

The teams conclude their series following a doubleheader tomorrow, March 30 starting at 12 PM.