BRAINARD BRILLIANT AS NORTHEAST SWEEPS MINNESOTA WEST SATURDAY

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College baseball team was back at home for a doubleheader Saturday at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in Norfolk against Minnesota West Community & Technical College. The Hawks scored 17 runs and took two victories by final scores of 11-1 and 6-5 to sweep the day.

Northeast (12-10) faced extremely windy conditions all day as balls leaving the infield were drastically altered, but the Hawks were able to move around the bases methodically throughout the afternoon despite the weather knocking down potential homers. Aidan Brainard (Littleton, Colo.) made quick work of the BlueJays as the Northeast starting pitcher in Game 1, tossing all five innings, allowing one hit, one earned run and striking out nine batters to ensure that the Hawks came out on top in the first matchup.

Game 2 was a tighter contest, but two RBIs from both Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.) and Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.) were enough for Northeast to get by Minnesota West. Four different Hawks pitchers entered the ballgame as Oliver Ward (Mill Creek, Wash.), Tanner Johnson (Kearney, Neb.), Braden Cork (Omaha, Neb.) and Brice Wallar (Papillion, Neb.) all combined to allow just a single earned run to give Northeast their third sweep of a day to this point of the season.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Jack Borgmann (Norfolk, Neb.): 1-3, 3B, R, 3 RBI

Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.): 2-4, R, 2 RBI

Aidan Brainard (Littleton, Colo.): 5 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 9 K

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.): 2-3, 2 RBI

Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.): 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI

Oliver Ward (Mill Creek, Wash.): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Baseball Coach Marcus Clapp on the sweep Saturday:

"I thought we showed up in Game 1 and did what we needed to do," Clapp said. "In Game 2, it was the same old stuff. Nine free bases. We didn't do what we needed to do, but we won, and we'll take it. We'll get after it again on Monday."

Clapp on another showdown around the corner on Monday:

"Last game before conference," Clapp said. "We've had 22 games to figure it out, and I'm not sure if we've figured it out yet. Hopefully Monday we can try and figure it out."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will compete their final tune-up before conference play begins as they will host Mount Marty University JV at 4 p.m. Monday at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in one single game.

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