DUBUQUE, Iowa - After dropping a weather-suspended game one 8-2 on Saturday, the Nebraska Wesleyan University baseball team (10-22, 5-11 American Rivers Conference) bounced back for a wild 13-11 victory over Dubuque (11-18, 6-9 ARC) in game two at Dan Runkle Field.

With eight regular-season games remaining, the Prairie Wolves are currently in last place, but just one game back of the six seed needed to qualify for the conference tournament.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Dubuque jumped on starter Trevor Storer early, pushing across two runs in the bottom of the first on a pair of walks and a bases-loaded walk to plate the game's first run, followed by another free pass that scored a second. Storer was gone after just two-thirds of an inning, charged with both runs. The Spartans added a run in the fourth when Logan Cadenhead scored on an error, then broke the game open with two more in the sixth on a Ryan Turner double and a Nebraska Wesleyan error. Dubuque tacked on one in the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull away.

Nebraska Wesleyan's offense managed just two runs against Dubuque's reliever, who struck out eight over four dominant innings. Brayden Harvey scored in the sixth after Duncan Ortega singled up the middle for the Prairie Wolves' first run, and Cohle Sherman provided the lone highlight with a solo home run to left center in the seventh.

Cohle Sherman finished 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Harvey went 2-for-3 with a pair of stolen bases. Storer took the loss, dropping to 1-4 after allowing two runs on one hit and four walks in two-thirds of an inning. Cesar Salas provided stability out of the bullpen, throwing three innings and allowing just one run on two hits.

GAME TWO: NEBRASKA WESLEYAN 13, DUBUQUE 11
Nebraska Wesleyan came out swinging in the first, putting up five runs before Dubuque could get out of the top of the inning. Harvey reached, Ortega worked a walk and Easton Johnson came up with a single to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Harvey, Brady Bell walked, then Gavin Crogg stepped up and cleared the bases with a three-run double to right center. A first baseman's error scored Crogg to cap the five-run outburst.

Dubuque answered with three in the third on a Zavion Ingram three-run home run to left, and Will Sullivan added a solo shot in the fourth to make it a 5-4 game heading into the fifth.

Nebraska Wesleyan practically put it away in the fifth, erupting for six more runs. Dubuque hit three straight batters to score the first run of the inning. The Prairie Wolves scored their seventh run on a fielder's choice that plated Sherman. A Brayden Harvey single plated another one, and then Johnson delivered the knockout blow, a three-run double to right center that scored three and pushed the lead to 11-4. Sherman added an RBI double in the sixth, and Johnson capped his afternoon with a solo home run to left center in the eighth.

Johnson was the story of the afternoon, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored. Johnson's 6-for-6 performance is the best single-game hitting effort by a Prairie Wolf since at least 2001. Crogg went 1-for-2 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored, drawing two walks. Sherman finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Jack Starr earned the win on the mound, improving to 4-2 after allowing five runs on six hits across six innings with five strikeouts. Brady Bell closed out the final inning for his third save of the season and twelth of his career which ties the Nebraska Wesleyan career record. 

UP NEXT

Nebraska Wesleyan plays host to Buena Vista Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m.