The Briar Cliff baseball team swept Jamestown Monday afternoon on Bishop Mueller Field to improve to 24-14 (12-8 GPAC). The Charger pitching staff excelled on the mound by holding a Jamestown offense that averages 6.4 runs per game to five total runs.  
 
"I'm really proud of the way the guys battled today," said head coach Corby McGlauflin. "We pitched very well all weekend against two good offenses. We put ourselves in good position heading into the final two weeks of conference play."
 
Game 1 – W, 4-2
 
The Chargers got on the scoreboard quickly with two runs in the first inning. Mike Anthony reached base on an error and later moved to second after Cam Riemer was hit by pitch. With two outs in the inning, Walter Hunt sent a deep fly ball to warning track in right field, scoring both runners. 
 
Charger starting pitcher Ryan Riddle held the Jimmies scoreless through six innings of play. The Jimmies had chances to score with runners in scoring position in the first two innings. With a runner on third in the first, Riddle stuck out the Jimmie batter for the final out. After surrendering a walk to lead off the second, Riddle forced two straight infield pop ups and ended the inning with his second swinging strikeout. 
 
Connor Lange came through in the bottom of the fourth with a single through the left side, scoring Trey Rogers to take a 3-0 lead. Jake Allen added another insurance run in the inning, reaching base on a fielder's choice with Anthony crossing home plate on the play. 
 
Riddle carried his dominant performance on the mound into the sixth inning with back-to-back swinging strikeouts. The Jimmies managed a double, but Riddle quickly ended the inning with another swinging strikeout.
 
The Jimmies wouldn't go away quietly in the top of the seventh with two straight singles to lead off the inning. After Jamestown scored their first run of the game on a BC error, Brett Sitzmann entered the contest looking to close out the game one win. 
 
Sitzmann forced a ground out to get the first out of the inning, but the Charger lead was cut to 4-2 after a Jimmie scored on the play. Holding onto a two-run edge with runners on first and second and two outs, Sitzmann closed out the win with a strikeout.
 
Riddle notched his third win of the season and allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Riddle has averaged 7.6 K's in his last three starts and has 52 total strikeouts in 34.2 innings this season.
 
Sitzmann recorded his second save and seventh scoreless outing on the season. 
 
Lange went 2-for-4 with one RBI and Hunt was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. They both recorded a double while Anthony scored twice.
 
Game 2 -  W, 7-3        
 
The Cliff carried their momentum from the first contest into game two with a scoreless top of the first and five runs in the bottom half of the inning. The Jimmies reached base off a Charger error, but Austin Carter ended the inning quickly with two straight strikeouts.
 
BC loaded the bases with three straight singles to lead off the bottom of the first. They scored their first run of the inning off a wild pitch and would later load the bases again when Walter Hunt was intentionally walked with one out. Jared Sitzmann drove in two runs with a single through the left side of the infield to take a 3-0 edge. The Chargers loaded the bases for a third time in the first inning with a Trevor Adler walk. Two more runs would cross home plate, this time courtesy of a double from Trey Rogers.
 
Jamestown scored a run in the top of the second, which was matched by a Charger run in the bottom of the inning. After two straight strikeouts for Carter in the third, the Jimmies rattled off three straight singles, scoring one run and trailed 2-6. 
 
With two runners on base in the fourth and no outs, Tyler Kjose took the mound in relief and delivered three big outs for the Cliff. He forced an infield popout and rang up the next Jimmie batter. With the bases loaded and two outs, Kjose forced a groundout to end the inning unscathed. Pinch runner Brayden Artzer added to the lead with an insurance run in the fourth to go up 7-2 on a wild pitch.
 
The Jimmies loaded the bases in the final frame, trailing by five with two outs. Brett Sitzmann entered the game and after walking the first batter, he struck out the next Jimmie batter to earn his second save of the day. 
 
Kjose improves to 5-0 on the season and struck out three. Carter went 3.0 innings, gave up seven hits and had four K's.
 
Connor Lange went 3-for-4 from the plate and scored three runs. Sitzmann was 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, while Rogers had a double and two RBIs.
 
The Chargers travel to Brookings, South Dakota Wednesday for a contest against South Dakota State.