VERONA, Wis. (Apr. 29, 2008) - Edgewood College has plenty of ground to make up in the race for the Northern Athletics Conference Baseball Tournament and the road may have just gotten a little bit longer as the Eagles split a home doubleheader with MSOE at Stampfl Field on Tuesday. Edgewood College handled the Raiders 6-1 in game one, but dropped game two, 5-1.
Edgewood College (19-15, 11-7 NAC) got out to a fast start in game one, behind freshman pitcher James Bertakis (1-0) who was making his first collegiate start. Justin Dahmen drove in a run in each of the first two innings as the Eagles got out to a 4-0 lead. Ryan Siebert hit his first career home run to right center field in the seventh inning and Matt Werner followed with an RBI single for a 6-0 lead. Werner, Dahmen and Cory McCullick had three hits apiece, with McCullick adding his 20th and 21st stolen bases of the season.
Bertakis worked out of bases loaded jams in the second and fourth innings and kept the Raiders off the scoreboard for the first eight and two-thirds innings. MSOE (10-19, 5-15 NAC) spoiled the shutout in the ninth when Anthony Gorzelnik singled home Jordan Opalewski who had reached on a two-out double. Bertakis scattered 12 hits and struck out three for his first career victory.
The table was set for a sweep in game two, but MSOE jumped ahead early with two runs in the first and two more in the third. Kevin Biederer drove two runs with a single in the first inning. MSOE starter Kevin Curtin tied up the Eagles bats early, striking out four of the first six hitters he faced. He would finish with 10 strikeouts on the night. Edgewood College picked up their only run of the second game when McCullick singled home Andrew King from second base in the fifth.
Tim Richardson (0-1) pitched seven and one-third innings, allowing seven hits and just one earned run. Richardson struck out four and walked just two. Nate Meyer, Ricky Martinez and Karl Reynolds picked up two hits apiece.
The Eagles have four conference games remaining and are locked in a tight race with Aurora University (13-7 NAC) and Marian College (13-7 NAC) for the fourth playoff spot. The Eagles host second place Benedictine University on Friday before finishing with Lakeland College on Saturday for Senior Day at Stampfl Field.
