The Briar Cliff baseball team swept Dakota Wesleyan in a GPAC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Bishop Mueller Complex. The Chargers were fueled by walk-off hits from Jake Allen and Cyler Melvin.
 
"We found a way to win a couple games that we weren't able to win the past few weeks", said head coach Corby McGlauflin. "It was a busy week, but I'm really happy for the guys that we were able to go 6-0!"
 
The Chargers are now on a six-game GPAC winning streak.
 
Game 1 – W, 4-3
The Tigers struck first in game one. In the top of the first inning, Dakota Wesleyan tallied one run on two hits and a Charger errors. The middle infield duo of Devon Farrell and Jake Chronic were able to find a double play with bases loaded and no outs to dim down the Tigers' momentum.
 
After a leadoff walk in the top of the second, Brett Sitzmann was able to card two strikeouts to escape the pressure once again.
 
The Charger offense responded in the bottom of the third behind singles from Trey Rogers and Allen. Rogers led off the frame and was followed by a drawn walk from Connor Lange as Quentin Evers was hit by a pitch to loaded the bases. The Tigers managed to get a double play, but Walter Hunt tallied an RBI and Allen roped an RBI to single to right field to give BC the 2-1 lead.
 
After a scoreless fourth frame, DWU took back the lead behind a BC error and back-to-back doubles with two outs to grant the Tigers the 3-2 lead with two innings left of play.
 
Briar Cliff would respond once again in the bottom of the sixth frame. Pinch hitter Drew Petersen tied the game up with one swing as he knocked a leadoff solo home run. The Chargers were able to get three more runners on base, but the Tigers' defense stood strong, finding another double play to escape further damage. With one inning to play, the game was all knotted up at 3-3.
 
The duo of Alex Kremer and Carter Schorg found on strikeout apiece in the top of the sixth as Allen caught a runner stealing to keep the score even. Allen, carrying momentum from the sixth, ended the game with the biggest swing of the day. Allen laced a walk-off home run to give BC their fifth GPAC win in a row 4-3.
 
Allen led the way for the Chargers with three hits and two RBIs. Petersen tallied a home run as two other Chargers carded one hit each.
 
Starting pitcher Sitzmann went 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, while striking out five. Kremer and Schorg combined for 1.2 innings and three strikeouts to slam the door.
 
Game 2 – W 7-6
The Chargers carried their momentum from game one, jumping on the scoreboard early in game two. Melvin tallied a one-out single and was followed by a walk from Lange. The bat of Allen stayed on fire as he tallied a two-out RBI double to give the Cliff the early 1-0 lead.
 
The Chargers would extend their lead in the second frame. Chronic singled and stole second and advanced to third on the throw, allowing him to score on a wild pitch one out later. At the end of two full innings, the Blue and Gold led 2-0.
 
Matthew Hmielewski was dialed in on the mound as he tallied six strikeouts through the first three innings.
 
DWU fought back in the fourth. In the inning, the Tigers tallied two runs on two hits. With one out, the Tigers strung together a double and a two-run home run to even the game up at 2-2.
 
The bats were still hot for the Chargers as Jared Sitzmann lined a double to center field and was pushed to third on a wild pitch. He would be driven in by an RBI sacrifice fly out from Chronic.
 
After a scoreless fifth frame, the game was evened up at 3-3. To lead off the inning, Landon Ruesink sent the second home run of game two over the wall. Hmielewski evaded the pressure, tallying two strikeouts and a routine pop out to end the inning.
 
Both teams were kept off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh innings. Dakota Wesleyan, however, carded another lead off solo home run in the seventh push the score to 4-3 in favor of DWU. Once again, Hmielewski and the Charger defense strung together back-to-back-to-back outs to end the frame.
 
The Chargers fought right back in the bottom of the eighth. After a leadoff walk by Lange, Evers was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base with no outs. The bat of Allen was on absolute fire on Saturday as he laced another home run, this time a three-run shot, to give the lead back to BC 6-4.
 
The Tigers needed to score at least two runs in the top of the ninth to keep the game alive. They did just that. With two outs, Nathan Meyers kept the dream alive for DWU as he rounded the bases on a two-run home run. Heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the game was tied up at 6-6.
 
Petersen, getting another pinch-hit appearance, led off the bottom of the ninth being hit by a pitch. Rogers laid down a sacrifice bunt to push pinch runner Easton Cone into scoring position. Melvin then smoked a walk-off RBI double to give Briar Cliff the 7-6 win and their sixth GPAC win in a row.
 
The Chargers tallied eight hits in game two. Allen paced the Chargers with two hits and four RBIs as Melvin tallied two hits and one RBI of his own. Four other Chargers tallied one hit each.
 
Hmielewski was a gem on the mound for the Blue and Gold. Hmielewski chucked 8.2 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits, while striking out a season-high 12 opponent batters.
 
The Chargers return to action when they host South Dakota State in a single game on Tuesday at Bishop Mueller Complex. The first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.