Behind a dominant performance from
Jacob Wesselmann, the Briar Cliff baseball team opened the GPAC Postseason Tournament with a 12-1 win over Morningside Thursday.
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Wesselmann (8-2) threw nine strong innings to pick up his eighth complete game of the season. He surrendered just one unearned run and seven hits while striking out 10 batters.
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"Always great to start 1-0 in the postseason," said head coach
Corby McGlauflin. "Jake was fabulous as he has been all year. We got a couple big hits early, so he could go in cruise control the rest of the way."
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Jake Allen drove in
Harrison Jestel in the top of the first inning to put the Chargers on the scoreboard first. The Mustangs scored their lone run of the game in the bottom of the first. Wesselmann settled in after the first, retiring the Mustang batters 1-2-3 in three straight innings.
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With the bases loaded in the top of the fourth,
Jake Hubbard scored the game winning run on a wild pitch to put the Cliff up 2-1.
Dawson Forcella quickly added to the Charger lead, knocking a three-run home run over the left field fence.
Jake Federico drove in two more runs with a single to right, scoring
Jared Sitzmann and
Matthew Hmielewski.
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After giving up a triple to lead off the bottom of the ninth, Wesselmann closed out his complete game striking out three straight Mustangs.
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Pookie Allen led the Chargers going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and one walk. Jestel went 2-for-3 with two walks and scored three runs. Forcella drove in three runs and
Darnell Prince scored one run and had one RBI.
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The Chargers will play the winner of Concordia and Hastings tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. at Plum Creek Park in Seward, Nebraska.
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