Baseball battling for conference lead

After 13 games, the Viterbo baseball team finds itself battling for the top spot in the Midwest Collegiate Conference with a 9-4 conference record. The V-Hawks, Iowa Wesleyan, William Penn, Grand View, and Mount Mercy were all within a half game of one another for the conference lead at press time. 

The V-Hawks started off the conference season with a three game set against Ashford University. Viterbo took all three games, with Nick Lenzendorf, Howard Heinrich, and Steven Mora earning wins on the mound. 

St. Ambrose University was next on the conference slate. Viterbo narrowly missed a second consecutive sweep, taking two out of three from the Fighting Bees. Brent Peotter and Heinrich picked up wins, with Heinrich tossing a second consecutive shutout. Senior infielder Eli Tupuola had five hits and two home runs on the weekend, while junior Brett Moravec notched five runs batted in. 

After dropping an 8-1 midweek decision to Clarke on March 31, Viterbo faced off with Waldorf College in a three game. The V-Hawks again took the series victory, taking two of three. Peotter earned a shutout victory in the series opener. Tupuola again had five hits in the series, including a home run.

Next up was a showdown with conference front-runner Iowa Wesleyan College. The V-Hawks took the first game of the series by a 5-3 margin, as Heinrich picked up his third conference win. Outfielders Brandon Buelow and Shawn Loch led the offensive attack with three hits apiece. The second game of the doubleheader turned into a classic pitchers' duel. Junior Drew Farrell went the distance for the V-Hawks, striking out ten in a 2-1 victory. Justin Daniels broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a walk-off double. 

Game three of the series was an offensive explosion, as Viterbo hit six home runs. Moravec, Tupuola, Brandon Buelow, and Brett Rettenmeier hit consecutive home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, while Andy Behnke and John Pogatchnik each hit their first home run of the season. Unfortunately, all the offensive fireworks weren't enough, as a late Iowa Wesleyan rally led to an 11-10 loss for the V-Hawks. 

Viterbo is currently 19-13 overall, 9-4 in the MCC. The team's next home game is Saturday, April 24, against William Penn University.