LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Wesleyan University baseball team (4-13) fell just short of against Howard Payne (12-11) on Friday evening at NWU Baseball Championship Stadium at Sandhills Global Youth Complex. The Prairie Wolves were able to get three runs in the bottom of the second but the Yellow Jackets was able to escape with the 5-3 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Garrett Walsh was given the nod for this high-profile matchup between the Prairie Wolves and Howard Payne. In his six innings of work, Walsh excelled, allowing just nine hits and four runs in his six-strikeout performance. Behind him, the Prairie Wolf defense had one of their best games of the year, committing just two errors during the game.
In the second inning, Owen Duckworth got a leadoff walk, followed by a Brady Bell single. Jake Shedarowich, who has been hot for the Prairie Wolves, stepped up to the plate and hit a hard ground ball that ricocheted off of the third base bag allowing Duckworth to score. Bell and Shedarowich executed a perfect double steal to put two in scoring position with no one out. A pair of RBI ground outs from Gavin Crogg and Eli Eldred knotted the game up at 3-3 heading into the third. After four more productive inning from Walsh, the Prairie Wolves brought in Tyler Sprietzer in relief.
Leading 4-3, the Yellow Jackets got a baserunner with two outs due to an unfortunate throwing error by Duncan Ortega. Another double down the opposite line allowed Howard Payne to score and make the lead 5-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Prairie Wolves were given life when Shedarowich was plucked by a pitch. The Yellow Jackets responded with a pair of strikeouts to end the game.
UP NEXT
The Prairie Wolves are back in action on Saturday at 1:00 PM for the final two games of the series with Howard Payne.
