Warriors Outlast V-Hawks in Extra Innings

DICKINSON, ND – The Viterbo University Baseball team saw their season come to an end on Sunday night following a 4-3 loss to Waldorf University (Iowa) in an 11-inning game in the semifinals of the NSAA Conference Tournament. The V-Hawks end the season with a 12-38 (10-13 NSAA) record, while the Warriors improve to 21-27.

Brett Stuessel and Garrett Heying each had hits over the first two innings, but the Warriors would be the first on the board with an RBI double in the bottom of the second. However, an error from Waldorf in the top of the third led to a pair of runs scored by Stuessel and Ryan Mesa. In the top of the fourth, Gavin Daniel singled to bring home Chad Herrera to go up 3-1. WU matched the run in the bottom of the frame on an error, and three inning of no hits form the V-Hawks, tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh. The game would go into extra innings, with Viterbo getting two baserunners on in the top of the 10^th, but stranding them on base. A diving catch from Spencer Hans ended the 10^th in a stalemate but the Warriors would finally end the game in the 11^th inning on a RBI single.

Daniel, Stuessel, Heying, Herrera, and Mesa each had a single git for Viterbo, while four Warriors had two hits. Kyle Burns recorded the loss for the V0Hawks, while Ryan Meyer earned the win.

On the year, Blake Warner etched his name into the V-Hawks record book in multiple places. He recorded the third most amount of home runs at 13, and moved into third in the career list too with 23. He had the fourth most single season RBIs with 46, and third most career with 109, and also the fifth most doubles with 18, and third most career at 33.

Stuessel was walked the fourth most amount of time with 31, while Kyle Burns made the fourth most appearances on the mound with 20.

Brandon Jaenke both set the single season strikeouts record with 104, and moved into 3^rd in career Ks with 204.