This past week, the Blue Knights added four more victories to their season record and will continue to tune-up for a potential spot in the State Tournament with non-conference games and the end of the regular season fast approaching.
Tuesday, stormy weather ended the game with 4/12 innings played and DCTC taking the 6-3 win over MN West. Paul Krebs worked five innings for the win. Alex Hanson-Michelson was 2-3 with a home run and two RBI. Jared Powell was 3-3with a double and a triple and Michael Dudero drove in two runs.
The Knights faced RCTC in a doubleheader on Saturday, out-hitting them 10-8. However, costly base running miscues and a lack of timely hitting proved to be the difference in the 3-7 loss. Ryan Van Dusen allowed only three hits in five innings, but walked six hitters and hit two others. Offensively, Hanson-Michelson and Alex Smith each contributed two hits.
In game two, DCTC was once again able to win the hitting battle 11-8 with base hits, but lost the game 7-9 in extra innings. Tied at 5-5 in the eighth, Rochester scored four runs in the top half of the inning and the Blue Knights battled back in the bottom half, scoring two runs, but DCTC would end up making their final out, leaving the bases loaded.
“These were both frustrating losses. We made costly mistakes,” said head coach Tim Huber.
Tom Barilla, Jason Gergen and Dale Stein had two hits each in the game, and Smith led the effort 3-5.
Three Blue Knight victories over Minnesota West proved to make Sunday a much better day for the Knights. DCTC was able to score 34 runs on 40 hits delivered by the MN West pitching staff. The Knights also slugged eight home runs on the day, with Brian Hanson, Powell and Van Dusen knocking out two each.
In game one, Krebs picked up his team leading fifth win of the year on the mound. Game two saw Hanson-Michelson come on and pitch 4 1/3 innings in relief to earn his second win of the year. In game three, Travis Borowicz picked up his first win, throwing five strong innings.
Offensively, Gergen was 6-7 with two RBI, Powell was 5-10 with four RBI, Hanson-Michelson was 5-8 with three RBI, Van Dusen contributed five RBI, Krebs had four RBI and Hanson had five RBI on the day.
The Blue Knights are now 19-13 on the season and will finish their conference schedule this week with games at home on Wednesday vs. Riverland at 2 & 4 p.m. and at Ridgewater on Saturday at 1 & 3 p.m.
