NIACC baseball team sweeps DCTC

MASON CITY - The NIACC baseball team picked up a pair of wins over Dakota County Technical College on Wednesday at Roosevelt Field.

NIACC won the first game 8-5 and took the second game 14-4 in five innings for its 20th win of the season.

It is the 16th straight season that NIACC has won at least 20 games.

In the first game, NIACC (20-11) scored five runs in the first inning. The Trojans also plated two runs in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth inning.

Matt Schwarz led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run for NIACC. Mitch Neunborn drove in two runs with a double in the first inning and Nate VanKan plated a run with a single.

Brody Gugat gained the win for the Trojans. He pitched five-plus innings allowing four runs with two strikeouts and four walks.

NIACC's Chase Stewart pitched the final two innings to pick up his sixth save of the season. He allowed one run on two hits with two strikeouts.

In the second game, NIACC pounded out 12 hits to score its 14 runs. The Trojans scored eight runs in the fifth inning to win the game by the 10-run rule.

In the fifth inning, Connor Enochs drove in two runs with a single. The Trojans also took advantage of five walks and two hit by pitches.

Freshman Cade Schares hit a 2-run home run in the second inning. Schares was three for three with three RBIs. VanKan was three for three and scored three runs.

The 14 runs was more than enough for NIACC starter Antonio Rivera Jr., who gained the complete-game win. Rivera Jr., who allowed four runs on six higs with two strikeouts and one walk.

NIACC returns to action Saturday and Sunday at home against No. 18 Southeastern (23-8 overall, 6-2 in the ICCAC) in a four-game ICCAC series. The doubleheader Saturday starts at 2 p.m. and Sunday's twinbill begins at noon.

Southeastern leads the league with its 6-2 mark. The Trojans are tied for second in the league with Kirkwood at 5-3.