Jaenke Sets Strikeout Record; V-Hawks Eliminate Comets

DICKINSON, ND – The Viterbo University Baseball team defeated Mayville state University (ND) in a loser's out game in the North star Athletic Association (NSAA) conference tournament on Saturday, 10-1. The V-Hawks improve to 12-37, while the Comets' season ends at 13-39.

The V-Hawks started the game strong, as a Spencer Hans single brought home Brett Stuessel, followed by a Marcus Hornacek RBI single that scored Blake Warner. Kyle Sontag the doubled to left field, scoring Hornacek and Garret Heying. Ryan Mesa and Stuessel each had hits over the next few innings, but it would be Sontag's RBI double that got Viterbo back on the board, then Chad Herrera's RBI single to bring the score to 6-0. Hornacek grounded out in the top of the sixth, but would bring in Warner, and Heying's single scored Hans, followed by RBI singles from Mesa and Gavin Daniel. Mayville ended the shutout with a single in the bottom of the seventh, but still fell, 10-1.

Mesa had three hits for the V-Hawks, while Stuessel, Warner, Hornacek, Sontag, and Herrera each had two. Caleb Jamieson recorded tow of Mayville's four hits. Brandon Jaenke (W, 5-7) posted 15 strikeouts, and Gregor Farquharson (L, 2-7) posted the loss.

With his performance, Jaenke set the V-Hawk's single season strikeouts record at 104.

The V-Hawks return to action on Sunday with a Loser's Out game against the winner of No. 5 Waldorf University (Iowa) and No. 2 Dakota State University (SD).

For the tournament central age, click here.