STORM LAKE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque baseball team opened their A-R-C slate with a night game in Storm Lake against Buena Vista University. The Spartans (4-8, 1-0 A-R-C) triumphed over the Beavers (3-10, 0-1 A-R-C) 7-2 in 11 innings, with Spartans arms fanning 19 Beavers during the contest.
The Spartans started the scoring in the second inning when Ashr Harris walked, and Logan Cadenhead drove a two-strike fastball into right-center field to move Harris to third. Carter Krug slapped a ball to the right side, scoring Harris and giving the Spartans a 1-0 lead. Despite giving up a leadoff triple, Angel Reyes stranded him there in the home half of the second. Buena Vista scored their first run after a throwing error allowed a runner to reach, and he scored on the ensuing single. The game remained tied at one until the Spartans scored in the seventh, thanks to back-to-back bunts from Zavion Ingram and Ryan Turner. Buena Vista struck back in the seventh, knotting the game at two apiece with two innings remaining. The Spartans loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but stranded all three runners. Vic Pico took the mound for the Spartans in the eighth and worked around two walks to post a scoreless inning. Pico dealt with a bases loaded jam in the ninth inning, but struck his final hitter to send the game to extras. Harris doubled to start the tenth inning but Buena Vista threw him out on a squeeze play at the plate as the game remained tied. In the eleventh inning, the Spartans broke the game open. Turner roped a fastball into left field, stole second, and scored on a single by Alex Esser. Will Sullivan bunted for a single, and then Justin Potts drove Esser in with a sacrifice fly. Cadenhead drove a run in with a bunt single, and Dominic Pelizza also came around to score as the Spartans plated five runs in the eleventh. Pelizza locked down the bottom of the inning.
Reyes spun seven magnificent innings on Friday, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out a career-high twelve. Pico tossed two scoreless frames, allowing one hit while walking four and striking out four. Pelizza threw the final two innings, walking one and striking out three. The Spartans picked up 14 hits during the contest, with Cadenhead leading the Spartans with three. Esser and Josh Rogde also picked up multiple hits. Esser also took two hit by pitches and Turner stole two bases on Friday.
Up Next
The Spartans and Beavers will clash on Saturday for the final two games of the three-game set. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. with Game 2 beginning shortly after the conclusion of the 1:00 p.m. contest.
