• Bears win the opener on February 27 and lose the second game
• DMACC loses the first game on Feb. 28 and wins the second game
• Bears will open the home season March 4 against Southwestern CC

The DMACC baseball team stands at 7-9 for the season after splitting a four-game series against Butler County Community College (BCCC) February 27 and 28 at El Dorado, Kan.

The Bears took the first game on Feb. 27, 18-6, and then dropped the second game, 12-6. BCCC won the first game on Feb. 28, 11-4, and DMACC took the finale, 15-12.

Sophomore Blake Crancer of Normal, Ill., and freshman Drew Owen of Alleman each hit two home runs and sophomore Brock Moore of Urbandale and freshman Grayson Kirsch of Marion hit one apiece to lead DMACC in the first game on Feb. 27. The Bears scored three runs in the first, five in the second, two in the fifth and closed out the win with eight runs in the sixth. BCCC scored one run in the third, three in the fourth and two in the sixth.

Owen, sophomore Adam Leininger of Fargo, N.D., and freshman Nolan Galla of Warrenville, Ill., led the Bears with three hits apiece, including a double by Galla. Craner and Moore had two hits apiece and Crancer topped DMACC in runs batted in with five. Moore and Owen drove in three runs apiece and Leininger and Kirsch had two RBIs each.

Sophomore Jordan Leininger of Fargo, N.D., pitched the first four and two-thirds innings and improved to 2-0 with the win. He allowed four runs on four hits, struck out one and walked four. Sophomore Sebastian Talaga of Palo Hills, Ill., pitched an inning and a third, allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk.

BCCC took the second game behind two runs in the first, two in the second, four in the third and four in the sixth. DMACC scored two runs in the first, one in the second, one in the third and two in the seventh.

The Bears got three hits and three RBIs from Moore and two hits and two RBIs from freshman Drake Obermueller of Iowa City. Moore belted two home runs and sophomore Jake Espeland of Des Moines hit one. Crancer and Obermueller each doubled.

Sophomore Gage Miller of Mandan, N.D., fell to 1-2 with the loss. He went two and a third innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Freshman Ben Hites of Oak Creek, Wis., threw two and two-thirds innings, surrendering two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and a walk and sophomore Braxton Hoard of West. Fargo, N.D., gave up two runs, struck out one and walked two in two-thirds of an inning on the mound. Redshirt freshman Jack Sellnau of Anamosa walked three batters in two-thirds of an inning of work.

BCCC scored 10 of its 11 runs in the first four innings in winning the opener on Feb. 28. The Grizzlies scored twice in the first, four times in the second, once in the third and three times in the fourth in building a 10-1 lead. DMACC scored a run in the third and three in the sixth and BCCC closed out the win with a run in the sixth.

Obermueller paced the Bears at the plate with three singles and an RBI and Crancer had two hits and an RBI. Moore accounted for the Bears' only extra-base hit with a double and he drove in one run as did Galla.

Redshirt freshman Hunter Cook of Polk City fell to 0-1 with the loss. He pitched the first three innings, allowing seven runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Redshirt freshman Jackson Gwin of Lafayette, Ind., worked two innings, giving up three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks and sophomore Zack Turpin of Waukee allowed one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in one inning on the mound.

Kirsch hit two home runs and drove in five runs to get DMACC the win in the final game of the series. The Bears scored a run in the first, two in the second, four in the fourth, two in the fifth and six in the sixth. BCCC scored one run in the first, eight in the fifth and three in the sixth.

Owen, Obermueller and sophomore Austin Anderson of Marion joined Kirsch with two hits each in the game. Extra-base hits included doubles from Owen, Crancer and Obermueller and a home run from sophomore Cole Baumgart of  Clarinda. Owen drove in three runs and Baumgart had two RBIs.

Freshman Izzaq Zrust of Ladd, Ill., pitched the first four and a third innings and got his first win of the season. He allowed seven runs on six hits, struck out four and walked one. Redshirt freshman Teeghen Rath of Cedar Falls gave up two runs on one hit and walked one batter but was not credited with any innings pitched and sophomore Rhett Pleggenkuhle of Van Meter gave up one hit, struck out one batter and walked one in two-thirds of an inning on the mound. Sophomore Andrew Theiss of Clear Lake pitched the last two innings and gave up three runs on three hits and struck out one batter.

The DMACC baseball team will open the home portion of its season against Southwestern Community College (SWCC) March 4 at the DMACC baseball diamond. SWCC, an NJCAA Division I program, is 6-10 this season.