VILIMS STRONG AS NORTHEAST DROPS RUBBER MATCH TO NO. 9 KIRKWOOD SATURDAY

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College baseball team was back at home Saturday for the finale of their series with No. 9 Kirkwood Community College. The Hawks fell in the showdown by a final score of 8-4 in what marks their first conference-series loss of the season.

Northeast (20-13, 7-3 ICCAC) and the Eagles split two nail-biting matchups yesterday and that same intensity was again evident today as the two squads combined for nine runs in the first three innings. Pierce Wright (Olathe, Kan.) came up huge for the Hawks with a two-RBI single that scored two runs in the bottom of the second frame while Kale Jensen (Central City, Neb.) and Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.) both picked up RBIs in the third inning in what were the final runs of the day for Northeast. Nick Vilims (Evergreen, Colo.) was solid out of the bullpen for the Hawks as he tossed 3.2 innings and struck out five batters.

STAT SHEET:

Pierce Wright (Olathe, Kan.): 1-4, 2 RBI

Derek Woolwine (Boulder, Colo.): 1-4, RBI

Nick Vilims (Evergreen, Colo.): 3.2 IP, 3 H. 2 ER, 5 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Baseball Coach Marcus Clapp on the difference in the contest today:

"We took too many called strikes," Clapp said. "We swung at too many balls. We gave extra runs that didn't need to be given away."

Clapp on his team putting today behind them to get ready for another conference series on Wednesday:

"We have to move on," Clapp said. "It's another conference series. We'll give the guys a couple of days off with Easter and we'll get back after it Monday to get ready for DMACC."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will be back at home again next and will take on Des Moines Area Community College in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Field in Norfolk.

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