LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Wesleyan baseball team played their home opening games over the weekend hosting Northwestern College and Presentation College.  NWU went 2-2, getting a win over each team.
 
On Saturday, the Prairie Wolves made their home debut with an 8-4 win over old GPAC rival Northwestern College.  Later that night, NWU moved to Sherman Field to play Presentation College under the lights, dropping a 6-1 decision to the Saints.  NWU and Presentation then played a doubleheader on Sunday at NWU Field with the teams splitting games.  Presentation won game one, 2-1, then the Prairie Wolves shut out the Saints 5-0 in the nightcap.
 
To start the weekend versus Northwestern, the Prairie Wolves had two big innings in the win.  They plated three runs in the bottom of the 3^rd inning, then scored four in the home half of the 6^th inning.  Starting pitcher Jesse Maguire went seven innings allowing just five hits to earn the victory on the mound.
 
In the 3^rd inning, the big hit was a 2-run double from Derek Kolbush.  Cole Schumacher added an RBI single.  Later in the game in the 6^th, Bradyn Thomas hit a 2-run double and Matt Orozco drove in two with a single.  The final run of the game came in the 7^th inning as Kyle Hunter scored on a passed ball.
 
Justus Stocks, Owen Gubbels, Thomas and Kolbush all had two hits to lead the Prairie Wolves offense as NWU finished with 12 total hits.
 
That evening at Sherman Field, the Prairie Wolves managed only four hits in a 6-1 loss to Presentation College.  Brody Murphy struck out 11 in seven innings, but the Saints were able to muster up six hits and four earned runs.
 
Presentation scored one run in the 1^st, then broke the 1-0 game open with three runs in the top of the 6^th.  NWU scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the 6^th inning as Justus Stocks walked and came around to score on a ground out by Gubbels.
 
The Saints plated two more runs in the 8^th inning to seal the victory.  Presentation finished with eight hits and took advantage of three NWU errors.
 
A pitcher's dual took place in the first game on Sunday as only three combined runs were scored in the seven inning contest.
 
Presentation scored one run in the 5^th inning to break open the scoreless game.  They added another in the 6^th to go ahead 2-0.  NWU cut the lead in half with a run in the 6^th inning with Gubbels scoring on a wild pitch. 
 
NWU went down in order in the 7^th as they couldn't tie up the game.  Hayden Parker took the loss on the mound pitching a complete game.  Parker allowed two earned runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts.
 
Freshman pitcher Riley Ward threw a complete game two-hit shutout in the second game of the day.  Ward struck out eight and walked just two in nine innings of work.
 
The Prairie Wolves scored two runs in the 2^nd inning, then had one run apiece in innings 4-6 to pull away from Presentation.
 
Stocks hit a 2-run single to drive in both runs in the 2^nd inning.  Kyle Hunter walked and scored on a wild pitch in the 4^th inning.  Joel Maxwell hit a solo home run in the 5^th inning for the Prairie Wolves.
 
Maxwell was 3-4 in the game to lead the Prairie Wolves offense.
 
Nebraska Wesleyan will open Iowa Conference play on Friday (March 23) when they host Coe College for a three-game series.