April 25, 2023 at 8:31 p.m.
Dutchmen win doubleheader
Baseball returns in triumphant fashion
The Melrose Area Dutchmen opened its 2023 baseball season April 18, winning a doubleheader over West Central Area at Omer Sieben Field in Melrose.
The Dutchmen ran aggressively and took advantage of wild pitches for the 11-1 six-inning win in the first game. In its seven-run third-inning rally, Ian Funk scored on a balk, Breydon Dobmeier crossed home plate on a wild pitch and Westin Middendorf stole home. Melrose finished with six steals.
Devin Orbeck’s first-inning single started the Dutchmen offense. He was stranded on the bases that inning. The game was scoreless until Melrose sent 11 to the plate in the third inning, started by a Funk walk. Conner Anderson’s one-out single moved him to third. Hunter Goihl drove in Anderson with a double before scoring on Dobmeier’s single. Anthony Berscheit followed with a walk ahead of singles by Middendorf, Max Wehlage and Funk. The Dutchmen took an 8-0 lead at that point.
Orbeck pitched four innings, allowing only three runners on base and seven strikeouts. Ryan Herdering closed the game, striking out three more while allowing a hit and two walks. The run was unearned.
Melrose ended the game early with a three-run sixth inning. Singles by Isaac Rosenberger and Anderson opened the inning. Blaise Welle scored courtesy runner Lucas Feldewerd with a ground out and Herdering walked. Ethan Frieler reached on an error, allowing two runs in ending the game.
Melrose 5, WCA 1
In none of its rallies did Melrose have a hit as it took a 5-1 win in the second game. Wehlage, Rosenberger and Goihl all finished 1-for-3, but those hits did not figure into the scoring. The team was again aggressive, using steals and wild pitches to move around the bases.
In the second inning, Goihl walked, and Dobmeier, Middendorf and Orbeck were hit by the pitch, forcing across runs.
The Dutchmen did not score again until the sixth. Berscheit and Middendorf both walked, stole second and eventually scored on wild pitches.
Melrose scored in the seventh even while striking out four times. Anderson reached on a misplayed third strike. A steal and wild pitches brought him home with two outs.
Wehlage started and earned the win, pitching five innings with six strikeouts. Anderson did not give up a hit in earning the save.
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