10-Run Fifth Sends Baseball to Big Win in Home Opener

The Buena Vista baseball team took the field for the first time this season on its home turf, and the Beavers got a big 10-run fifth inning to help send them to a non-conference victory over visiting Bethany Lutheran College on Tuesday afternoon.

The Vikings got on the board with a pair of runs in the third inning before BVU answered with two runs of its own in the fourth.  After Bethany Lutheran regained the lead with a run in the top half of the fifth, the Beavers responded with 10 runs of their own to break the game open.  BVU wasn’t done, however, chalking up seven more runs in the sixth.

Junior Ryan Scheetz (Omaha,  Neb./Millard North) turned in a big performance at the plate for BVU, going 4-for-4, including a grand slam in the sixth, while tallying five RBI and three runs scored.  He now has a team-best four home runs this season.

Freshman Jesse Munsterman (St. Peter, Minn./St. Peter) added two hits, including a two-run single in the fourth, and four RBI for the Beavers, who out-hit the Vikings in the game, 19-4.  Dillon Plath (Omaha, Neb./Burke) tallied three hits, including his fourth triple of the year, while driving in three and scoring three times.  Sophomore Nick Schlecht (Omaha, Neb./Skutt) also posted three hits, two RBI and scored three times, while sophomore Weston Foxx (Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn) doubled twice, knocked in two runs and also scored three runs.

Freshman Lucas Hadaway (2-0) (Sheldahl, Iowa/North Polk) turned in a solid effort on the mound for BVU en route to his second win of the season.  He went the first six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits, while striking out three and walking two.  The Beavers then got a nice effort out of their bullpen, as Ian Grigsby (Gretna, Neb./Gretna), Brennan Holm (Fairmont, Minn.) and James Stone (Des Moines, Iowa/Johnston) each worked a scoreless inning in relief without allowing a hit, while combining to strike out five and walk only one.

Casey Woodside finished with two hits and three RBI for Bethany Lutheran which falls to 7-10 on the year.

Buena Vista improves to 9-8 overall and will now host defending league champion Coe College (9-5, 2-1 IIAC) in a three-game weekend series beginning with Friday’s nine-inning game which starts at 6:00pm.  The two teams will then wrap up the series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00pm.

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