Plainsmen Baseball Sweeps Otero

Mar. 26, 2019, Sterling, Colo. — The Northeastern baseball team hosted the Otero Junior College (OJC) Rattlers at Plainsmen Park. The games were originally scheduled on Saturday and Sunday, but games once again were moved to accommodate for the weather. Once the field was dry and ready, the men locked in and played ball. 

The first game on Sunday was a nine-inning game, but the Plainsmen didn't take long to get the ball rolling. Otero got things moving in the first inning by scoring two runs against the Northeastern.

Northeastern took the lead with three runs in the third inning when Carter Allen hit a solo homer, Dylan Norsen doubled on a 2-1 count, scoring one run, and Jaxon Rosencranz doubled on a 1-0 count, scoring one run. They added two more in the fourth, then another two in the fifth off an error and another homerun by Rosencranz.The final runs came when the Plainsmen notched four runs in the eighth inning with Andrew Paige II and Aaron Stinnett all contributed in the big inning with RBIs.

Praxie Vigil pitched Northeastern to victory by only surrendering two runs on four hits over four innings, striking out one and walking one. Jordan Chappell and Gunnar Foegen entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Offensively, the Plainsmen racked up 12 hits on the day. Stinnett led Northeastern with three hits in four at bats.

The second game came on Monday after a three-hour rain delay after a late night rainstorm. This game was much different from the first and was a fight until the very last at bat. The game was tied after the first inning, but in the second Northeastern got their offense started when Roman Guthrie's sac fly scored one run. The Rattlers took the lead in the fifth with two runs to go up 2-1. The Plainsmen evened things up at two in the bottom of the fifth inning by scoring one run when Dylan Norsen doubled. After going up 3-2 in the sixth, OJC regained the lead in the top of seven by scoring two runs. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Jaxon Rosencranz homered on a 2-2 count, scoring two runs and winning in walk-off fashion.

Cameron Spaeth started the game and allowed three hits and two runs over five innings, striking out six. Offensively, Northeastern racked up nine hits with Davyn Adamscheck and Rosencranz each having two hits to lead the Plainsmen.

In the third and final game of the two-day series, Northeastern did not take time to get their bats hot and get runs tallied on the scoreboard. Three innings consisted of four or more runs for the Plainsmen in their 15-1 victory over the Rattlers. Jayden Smith led the Northeastern to victory on the pitcher's mound. He went four innings, allowing zero runs on two hits, striking out three and walking one. Sean Whalen threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.

Those three wins gave the Plainsmen the season sweep over the Rattlers after winning three big games down at their place. Northeastern's next game will be against Lamar beginning on Saturday, Mar. 30. The games are currently to be played in Sterling, but the weekend weather forecast could change the location.