HAWKS SPLIT HOME OPENER WITH MCCOOK IN DOUBLEHEADER SUNDAY

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College baseball team held their home opener Sunday in a doubleheader against McCook Community College at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Field in Norfolk. The Hawks dropped Game 1 by a final score of 8-4 before coming out on top by a final score of 13-5 in Game 2.

Northeast (7-9) went ahead early in the first showdown of the day as Rusty Wortman (Gretna, Neb.) doubled to bring in Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.) and Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.). The lead didn't last too long, however, as runs in the third and fifth innings for the Indians were too much to overcome for the Hawks. Caleb Lanphear (Gretna, Neb.) was solid in two innings of work as the freshman tossed two innings and only allowed one hit.

Oliver Ward (Mill Creek, Wash.) got the ball as the Game 2 starter for Northeast and only allowed two earned runs while striking out three different batters in four innings of work. Brice Wallar (Papillion, Neb.) and Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.) both has three RBIs in the nightcap while Jensen, Cade Grevengoed (West Des Moines, Iowa) and Wortman all tripled in the matchup. The Hawks have now completed their season series with McCook and have split the four games with each squad taking two victories.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Rusty Wortman (Gretna, Neb.): 1-4, 2B, 3 RBI

Cade Grevengoed (West Des Moines, Iowa): 1-4, RBI

Caleb Lanphear (Gretna, Neb.): 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Brice Wallar (Papillion, Neb.): 3-4, R, 3 RBI

Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.): 2-4, 3B, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB

Oliver Ward (Mill Creek, Wash.): 4 IP, 2 ER, 3 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Baseball Coach Marcus Clapp on how the home opener played out:

"We have kind of done the same thing all year here so far," Clapp said. "We haven't really played well. It's every facet. It's defense, it's offense, it's pitching. We just haven't played clean. We just keep telling the guys that we have to keep practicing and they have to keep understanding what we are trying to get them to do."

Clapp on welcoming another intrastate opponent in Western Nebraska to Norfolk next:

"We've never played Western Nebraska before, so it will be fun to get them out here and play a new team," Clapp said. "Right now, I don't care who our opponent is. It's about us trying to figure ourselves out and Wednesday will be another chance for us to figure ourselves out, so we'll be ready to go."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will again compete at home as they will take on Western Nebraska Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in Norfolk.

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