Maggie Ramold | Sports Co-Editor
The Buena Vista University (BVU) baseball team captured the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) regular season title with the sweep of Loras College this past weekend.
The Beavers took the first two games of the 4-game series Friday night defeating the Duhawks 5-0 in the first game and 7-4 in the second. With the two wins and IIAC conference foe Wartburg College splitting their doubleheader, BVU clinched a share of the regular season title.
“We knew before the weekend that we had put ourselves in a great position to win, and it was solely in our control to take the title,” senior Nick Schlecht said.
Senior pitcher Jon Ringblom improved his record to 6-2 overall and improved his ERA to conference leading 0.90 with his performance on Friday. Sophomore Neil Marshall added two hits in both games on Friday, while junior pitcher Ian Grigsby picked up his seventh save of the year to close the last game on Friday.
The Beaver’s took the crown of IIAC regular season champions by completing the sweep on Saturday afternoon. BVU took down Loras in the first game 5-1 to capture its second conference championship in the past five years.
“We knew going into the season that we had a very talented team with lots of potential but we really needed to go out there and prove it day in and day out. We all worked so incredibly hard all fall, winter, and spring to reach this goal and to finally have achieved it gives a great sense of accomplishment and pride,” Schlecht said.
Senior Weston Foxx, junior Brandon Wessels, and sophomore Tanner Truesdell each had two hits for the Beavers. Junior pitcher Cam Beatty earned the win. BVU outhit Loras 10-7 in the contest.
After winning the first game of the day, the Beavers dog piled on the field and were presented with the conference championship trophy. Head Coach Steve Eddie also honored the seniors as they competed in their last home games as Beavers.
“Being able to share a moment like that with a bunch of people who’d never had the opportunity to dog pile made it that much better,” Truesdell said.
Although the team had already captured the title, the Beavers finished the sweep winning the last game 8-6. Senior Jeremey Lambert hit a three-run double, and Marshall had two of the team’s eight hits in the contest.
Grigsby came in during the ninth inning to get his eighth save and match the BVU’s single-season record, as well as being named IIAC Pitcher of the Week.
“Every single player knows their role and doing everything possible to fill this role to the best of their ability to make this team the best it can possibly be. We are all one and no one is above anyone else. This has been a complete team effort in accomplishing what we have so far,” Schlecht said.
The Beavers are now looking to sweep the conference championships as they prepare for the IIAC tournament this weekend.
“We’re just trying to prepare the same way we have all season and stay relaxed. Obviously these upcoming games are big, but knowing that each guy on the team is prepared and will have one anothers back makes playing that much more fun and relaxing,” Truesdell said.
BVU will play at Veterans Stadium in Cedar Rapids against the winner of the #4 Loras/ #5 Simpson game starting at 7 p.m.
“We need to keep playing consistent and have the same attitude we have had all year while playing comfortable and having fun. When we stay ourselves and just do what we do is when we play our best baseball, nothing too special or extraordinary,” Schlecht said.
Photo courtesy of Carol Dupic
