STORM LAKE, Iowa – Nebraska Wesleyan's drive towards their first Iowa Conference baseball victory of the year came up just short once again as the Prairie Wolves fell 2-1 at Buena Vista University in game two of an IIAC doubleheader.  The Beavers defeated NWU 13-3 in the opening game of the day.
 
NWU has now dropped eight straight games to open conference play, with four of the losses coming by only one run as the Prairie Wolves are so close to breaking out and earning that much needed victory.
 
The Prairie Wolves were held without a run for the first six innings of game two as they trailed 1-0 heading into the 7^th inning.  In the 7^th inning, Dalton Vergith reached on an error to open the inning.  He moved to second on a sacrifice from Owen Gubbels.  Justus Stocks then walked to put two runners on with one out.  Tyler Winterstein singled to centerfield to load the bases bringing up Spencer Scheer.  Scheer walked to bring in Vergith and tie the game.  The scoring threat was ended with a double play keeping the score tied at 1-1.
 
NWU threatened once again in the 8^th inning.  With one out, Jared Scdoris walked to get the go-ahead run on base.  Pinch runner Justin Corfield was thrown out trying to steal second base, which proved to be costly as Micah Hoage doubled to the gap with two outs.  Hoage was also left stranded as the innng ended with a strikeout.
 
In the 9^th inning the score remained tied at 1-1 and the Prairie Wolves put the pressure on the Beavers.  With one out, Stocks walked then advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Winterstein walked putting runners on first and second with just one out.  Unfortunately, base running was costly again as Stocks was thrown out at third base attempting a steal to end the threat.
 
BVU came up in the bottom of the inning and pitcher Jesse Maguire retired the first two batters of the inning.  Back-to-back singles kept the inning alive.  A wild pitch advanced the winning run to third base.  Then, a high pitch crossed up the NWU catcher and the ball got away allowing the winning run to score.
 
Connor Cech was solid as the starting pitcher for the Prairie Wolves allowing just one earned run in six innings of work.  He struck out three with no walks in his best outing of the year.  Trying to earn the first victory, Coach Ballinger turned to No. 1 starter Jesse Maguire to come in to close out the game.  Maguire struck out three and gave up only three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.
 
Game one was close early as Matt Orozco hit a solo home run to put the Prairie Wolves up 1-0 in the 2^nd inning.  BVU answered with three runs in the bottom of the 2^nd inning to take the 3-1 lead.
 
In the 4^th inning, the Prairie Wolves were able to tie the game with two runs of their own.  Justus Stocks singled and a throwing error on his bunt attempt allowed Gubbels to score.  Spencer Scheer put down a perfect bunt single to drive in Stocks.
 
The tie game didn't last long as Buena Vista scored nine runs in the 4^th inning as 15 batters came to the plate.  That made the score 12-3, then BVU added another run in the 6^th inning to close the game out due to the run rule.
 
Stocks and Gubbels each had two hits to lead the NWU offense.  Sam Condello was the starting pitcher for the Prairie Wolves going the first two innings.  A total of five pitchers were used as Wyatt Stute took the loss allowing four earned runs while not recording an out.