AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Nebraska Wesleyan University's baseball team saw its eight-game win streak snapped Thursday, falling 14-3 in seven innings to Wisconsin-River Falls at the RussMatt Invitational in Florida. The loss drops the Prairie Wolves to 8-1 on the season, their best start in program history now marred by their first setback.
How It Happened:
Wisconsin-River Falls struck first in the top of the second inning, scoring on a one-out RBI single. Nebraska Wesleyan responded quickly in the bottom half of the frame. Easton Johnson tripled to deep center, driving in Jake Gerardis, and Tommy Fiocchi followed with an RBI groundout to give NWU a 2-1 lead.
The game turned in the fifth inning. Wisconsin-River Falls capitalized on a couple of hit-by-pitches, a walk, and a pair of doubles to plate five runs, taking a 6-2 lead. The Prairie Wolves' bullpen struggled to contain the momentum shift, as Wisconsin-River Falls exploded for seven runs in the sixth. Four wild pitches, and a two-run double highlighted the inning, extending the Falcons lead to 13-2.
NWU scratched across a run in the bottom of the sixth when Tommy Fiocchi walked and later scored on smart base running, but Wisconsin-River Falls added one more in the seventh to seal the 14-3 run-rule victory.
Connor Burress started on the mound for Nebraska Wesleyan, allowing just one unearned run over four innings while striking out four. However, the bullpen faltered, surrendering 13 runs over the final three frames.
Offensively, the Prairie Wolves managed just five hits. Johnson's triple and Fiocchi's RBI groundout provided the early spark, but the lineup couldn't sustain momentum against Wisconsin-River Falls' pitching. Duncan Ortega, Jake Gerardis, Carter Betts, and Brady Bell each added one hit, but NWU left nine runners stranded.
Notable Stats:
Up Next:
Nebraska Wesleyan looks to bounce back Friday against Fontbonne University. First pitch is set for 2:45 p.m. CT in Auburndale, Florida.
