INGRAM SHUTS THE DOOR ON NO. 13 IOWA WESTERN TWICE IN WILD DOUBLEHEADER

NORFOLK, Neb. – The Northeast Community College baseball team welcomed NJCAA DI No. 13 Iowa Western Community College to Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in Norfolk Saturday for a doubleheader to begin the last regular-season series of the campaign. The Hawks took Game 1 by a final score of 10-9 and triumphed 12-7 in Game 2 to sweep the day.

Northeast (37-17, 21-11 ICCAC) and the Reivers battled in two wild affairs as there were a combined 38 runs in the two ballgames. Iowa Western jumped ahead 5-0 through their half of the third inning in Game 1 before the Hawks rallied for seven runs in the bottom half of the frame. The Reivers put up four more on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth to go up 9-7, but those runs would be the last that they would plate in the matchup. Northeast scored three times in the bottom of the fifth and Gage Ingram (LaVista, Neb.) closed out the final two innings to secure the massive Hawks victory. Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo.), Rusty Wortman (Gretna, Neb.) and Cade Grevengoed (West Des Moines, Iowa) all blasted homers in the battle.

Game 2 saw Northeast pick back up where they left off as two runs came around to score in the first inning. The Reivers and Hawks combined for 11 runs in the second frame, but the Hawks put up one run in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh to pull away. Ingram was asked to get six outs for Northeast for the second time on the day and again shut the door on Iowa Western for the sweep.

STAT SHEET GAME 1:

Cade Grevengoed (West Des Moines, Iowa): 3-3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB

Rusty Wortman (Gretna, Neb.): 2-3 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R

Gage Ingram (LaVista, Neb.): 2 IP, 0 H, 2 K

STAT SHEET GAME 2:

Cade Grevengoed (West Des Moines, Iowa): 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB

Taylor Gill (Orem, Utah): 2-4, RBI, 2 R

Gage Ingram (LaVista, Neb.): 2 IP, 1 H, 2 K

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head baseball coach Marcus Clapp on the sweep:

"Anytime we can take two from Iowa Western, it's a good day," Clapp said. "They were thin with their guys and for us to come out with two wins was big just to get some confidence and momentum with next week coming along. I thought we pitched well at times and we obviously hit well at times. Two good wins today and we'll hopefully take care of business tomorrow."

Clapp on winning Game 2 without a double, triple or home run:

"Well, that's probably the first time all year that's happened," Clapp said with a laugh. "It shows that we can manufacture runs. We don't have to rely on the long ball. We executed some things. It also shows me that we were able to battle with two strikes and we had a couple of two-out hits."

Clapp on Sophomore Day tomorrow:

"This group has won a lot of games," Clapp said. "They are going to have almost 75 wins between their two seasons so far. I appreciate all of their work and all of the time that they have put in here. It is going to be a tough group to see go. I am very proud of what they have accomplished and I know they are going to keep having success wherever they go."

UP NEXT:

Northeast will again take on NJCAA DI No. 13 Iowa Western Community College in the final regular season contest of the year at 12 p.m. tomorrow at Norfolk Veterans Memorial Baseball Field in Norfolk. The Hawks will honor sophomores Nick Carlson (Kearney, Neb.), Taylor Gill (Orem, Utah), Darius Hagen (Omaha, Neb.), Jackson Foster (Wichita, Kan.), Kaden Young (Columbus, Neb.), Eli Crnkovich (Valley, Neb.), Clay Beaumont (Tekameh, Neb.), Austin den Hoed (Papillion, Neb.), Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo.), Gage Ingram (LaVista, Neb.), Christian Carew (Parker, Colo.), Nate Zyzda (Sioux City, Iowa) and Jackson Horn (Papillion, Neb.) as part of Sophomore Day prior to the game at 11:30 a.m.

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