• Sophomore Matt Rivers drives in four runs in 11-1 win on Feb. 1
• Freshman Blake Crancer drives in three runs in 9-3 win on Feb. 2
• Sophomores Konner Entz and Ty Thompson earn the victories

The DMACC baseball team returned home with a 2-2 record after splitting a season-opening four-game series against Northern Oklahoma College-Enid (NOCE) February 1 and 2 at Enid, Okla.

The two teams split doubleheaders each day. NOCE took the opener on Feb. 1, 8-3, and DMACC on the nightcap, 11-1. The Bears won the first game on Feb. 2, 9-3, and NEOE won the second game, 14-6.

NEOE scored four of its eight runs in the third inning in coming away with the win in the first game on Feb. 1. DMACC scored its first two runs in the top of the fifth and added another run in the top of the seventh.

The Bears were limited to just four hits by NOCE pitching with freshman Archer Ogbourne of Carlisle getting a pair of singles and freshman Cole Baumgart of Clarinda and sophomore Carter Bryan of Johnston coming away with a double and a single respectively. Ogbourne and Baumgart drove in one run apiece.

Sophomore Carter Woollums of Johnston pitched the first four and a third innings and suffered the loss. He allowed six runs on 10 hits and struck out one batter. Freshman Eli Christensen of Ankeny went an inning and two thirds and allowed two runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Freshman Matt Rivers of Colfax had two hits, including a home run, and drove in four runs to lead DMACC to its win in the second game. Bryan added a double and two RBIs and sophomore Kaden Frommelt of Marion singled and drove in one run.

DMACC broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the top of the third and closed out the win with six runs in the top of the sixth. The game was called because of the 10-run mercy rule after NEOE batted in the bottom of the sixth.

Sophomore Konner Entz of West Fargo, N.D., went the first three and a third innings and was credited with the win. He allowed one run on four hits, struck out two and walked six. Sophomore Jaqson Tejada of Marion went two and two-thirds innings and earned the save. He didn't allow any hits and struck out five of the eight batters he faced.

Freshman Blake Crancer of Normal, Ill., collected three singles and drove in three runs as DMACC took the opener on Feb. 2. The Bears took a 1-0 lead in the first, added four runs in the second and scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings before closing out the win with a pair of runs in the seventh. NOCE tallied single runs in the third, fifth and seventh innings.

Ogbourne and freshman Adam Leininger of Fargo, N.D., each doubled for DMACC and Frommelt drove in two runs.

Sophomore Ty Thompson of Council Bluffs allowed one run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks in four innings on the mound and came away with the win. Freshman Nick Cox of Polk City went three innings and earned a save. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three batters.

NEOE used a six-run first inning, seven runs in the fourth and one in the sixth to come away with the win in the final game of the series. DMACC made it a 6-6 game with four runs in the second and two in the top of the fourth before the Jets pulled away.

Ogbourne and sophomore Jackson Manning of Keosauqua sparked DMACC's 10-hit attack with two hits apiece, including a home run from Ogbourne and a double by Manning. Ogbourne drove in three runs and freshman Trey Franck of Marion had two RBIs.

DMACC used six pitchers is the loss. Freshman Andrew Theiss of Clear Lake started and went just a third of an inning, allowing six runs on six hits with two walks. He suffered the loss. Freshman Rhett Pleggenkuhle of Van Meter went two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks. Freshman Jordan Leininger of Fargo, N.D., went a third of an inning, allowing four runs on four hits and freshman Gage Miller of Mandan, N.D., pitched an inning and two-thirds, allowing one hit and walking one batter. Sophomore Bobby Uthe of Ames gave up one run on one hit and walked one batter and was not credited with any innings pitched and freshman Zack Turpin of Waukee pitched one inning of hitless baseball.

The DMACC baseball team is idle until Feb. 14, 15 and 16 when the Bears will play five games in Texas. They will face Dallas College North Lake in a doubleheader on Feb. 14 at Irving, Texas, and will play five games against Dallas College Eastfield on Feb. 15 and 16 at Mesquite, Texas.