D3baseball highlights the Bethany Vikings
Monday, February 01, 2010

From D3baseball.com: "Bethany Lutheran has some stars of its own and appears to be the team poised to threaten St. Scholastica's stranglehold on the UMAC. The Vikings boast the returning UMAC Player of the Year in outfielder Justin Schwecke (.456 AVG., 62 RBI, 58 runs, .520 OBP, .725 SLG %) and the UMAC Pitcher of the Year in Ashton Dorris (8-0, 3.06 ERA, 10.7 K's/9). In other words, they had better years than a returning All-American and a pro pitcher from St. Scholastica. Bethany Lutheran (29-10, 17-3) also returns all but two bats and basically its entire pitching staff while adding five transfers to a squad that hit .363 but posted a hold-your-nose 5.67 team ERA. If the Vikings get anything after the No. 2 spot in the rotation, things could finally get interesting in the UMAC. In other Bethany Lutheran news, the Vikings will wear patches on their helmets in honor of assistant coach Todd Mann, who passed away in December after battling cancer."

Bethany baseball’s Schwecke and Dorris named NCAA All-Region, both to play for the Kutztown Rockies
Friday, May 29, 2009

Melissa Young

Mankato, Minn.—Bethany Lutheran junior center fielder Justin Schwecke (Buffalo Lake, Minn./Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop) and junior left-handed pitcher Ashton Dorris (Cassville, Mo./Iowa Central) have been named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division III All-Midwest region teams. Both Schwecke and Dorris have also signed a contract to play in the NCAA summer baseball league for the Kutztown Rockies of Kutztown, Pennsylvania.

Schwecke was named to the ABCA NCAA All-Midwest Region First Team. During the 2009 season, Schwecke led the Vikings with a .456 batting average, 68 hits, 16 doubles, 6 triples, 57 runs scored, 62 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases. He also led the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) in hits, RBIs, runs, and triples for which he was named UMAC Player of the Year. Schwecke, also a right-handed pitcher, posted a 1.72 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched and finished with a 1-0 record on the mound, to go along with five saves.

Bethany’s ace, Dorris, was named to the ABCA NCAA All-Midwest Region Third Team. Dorris finished the 2009 season with an undefeated 8-0 record on the mound. He posted a 3.06 ERA and struck out 84 hitters in 70.2 innings. Dorris was also named UMAC Pitcher of the Year for his efforts in conference play.

Both Schwecke and Dorris are excited about the opportunity to play for the Kutztown Rockies. The team is a member of The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League (ACBL), which is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is one of eight leagues in the National Alliance of Summer Baseball. The league is well known and has experienced success having several players appear in Minor and Major League Baseball.

Baseball team posts winningest season in recent history
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Joseph Baer

Mankato, Minn. – The Bethany baseball team finished the 2009 season with a 29-10 record, including a 17-3 record to place them second within the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). The team also fell one win short of a UMAC postseason championship. Coach Ryan Kragh was happy with the way his team competed. “Although we didn’t complete our main goal of winning the conference,” Kragh said, “this team exceeded all expectations and is the winningest Bethany baseball team in many years, maybe ever.”

Five individuals earned All-Conference recognition, with two others making the honorable mention. Juniors Justin Schwecke (Buffalo Lake, Minn./Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop) and Ashton Dorris (Cassville, Mo./Iowa Central) were named UMAC player and pitcher of the year respectively. Schwecke led the team with a .456 batting average, 68 hits, 16 doubles, 6 triples, 57 runs scored, 62 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases. He also led the UMAC in hits, RBIs, runs, and triples. Schwecke also posted a 1.72 ERA in 15.2 innings pitched. He finished with a 1-0 record on the mound and saved five games. Bethany’s ace, Dorris finished the season with an undefeated 8-0 record on the mound. He posted a 3.06 ERA and struck out 84 hitters in 70.2 innings.

Other All-Conference bids went to Nick Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North), Trent Sonnickson (Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area), and Wade Dollerschell (Olivia, Minn./BOLD). Michael Greibrok (Glenville, Minn./Glenville-Emmons) and Travis Fisher (Cedar, Minn./St. Francis) both received honorable mention. Sonnickson and Dollerschell both finished the season batting above .400. Johnson and Fisher led the team in home runs with five a piece and Johnson drove home 47 runs. Greibrok started 11 games for Bethany and finished the season 6-1 with a 5.04 ERA. He showed great control, striking out 40 hitters while only walking 13 in his 60.2 innings.

Looking ahead to the 2010 season, Bethany loses just three seniors and two starters. They also return their entire pitching staff. Coach Kragh has big goals for the group moving forward, “A lot of new faces came in and contributed beyond expectations this year. Next year, we have the strongest recruiting class since I started being a coach. We are going to be a fun team to watch.”

Baseball falls to St. Scholastica in UMAC Championship game
Saturday, May 09, 2009

Melissa Young

Duluth, Minn.—The Vikings came out of the gates strong in the second game of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Championship Series Friday night. After being defeated 30-4 in the first game of the evening, the Vikings looked to show what they had left. Unfortunately the Vikings came up short, allowing the Saints to claim their 13th consecutive UMAC Conference Championship.

The Vikings posted three runs in their first at-bat as the first two batters reached on a walk and error respectively, followed by a RBI single from Justin Schwecke (Buffalo Lake, Minn./Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop), and a sacrifice bunt from Nick Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) to load the bases. First baseman Wade Dollerschell (Olivia, Minn./BOLD) then hit a single to center to bring two across the plate.

The Saints recorded two unearned runs of their own in the bottom of the first when they loaded the bases and used a Bethany error to their advantage.

The Vikings put runners on base in the second but found themselves in trouble as Chris Porter (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) was called out in a rundown and Travis Fisher (Cedar, Minn./St. Francis) was caught stealing during the rundown and thrown out at home. With a runner on third, Zach Herd (Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East) hit a RBI double to put the Vikings ahead 4-2.

The lead wouldn’t last long, as the Saints scored 10 runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead 12-4. Saints’ second baseman had a pair of doubles and recorded five RBI for the inning. Tom Juberian followed with a three-run double and Chad Peterson brought two runners home with a sacrifice fly and an infield single.

After making a come-back in the game on Thursday night, the Vikings were not about to give up. They loaded the bases in the third frame and called up Fisher, who answered the call and hit a double to left center to bring home three. Trent Sonnicksen (Blue Earth, Minn./Blue Earth Area) added an RBI single and advanced on a throw to bring Fisher home. Not done yet, Herd advanced after being hit by a pitch and Schwecke hit an RBI double to left field, cinching the Saints lead to 12-9.

Bethany’s Michael Griebrok (L, 5-2 ,Glenville, Minn./Glenville-Emmons) held the Saints scoreless until the sixth inning when junior Paul Kolodge hit a home run to center. The Saints only other run came in the bottom of the eighth, from a Joe Link sacrifice fly. The Vikings struggled to find their groove against Saints’ pitcher Josh Hawkins (W, 1-0) who struck out eight batters and allowed only five hits in 6.1 innings.

The Vikings finish the season at 29-10 overall and 17-3 in the UMAC, while the Saints finish as the 2009 regular season and postseason champions with a 35-5 record overall and 19-1 in the UMAC.

Baseball defeats St. Scholastica in extra innings, advances to UMAC Championship
Friday, May 08, 2009

Melissa Young

Duluth, Minn.—The second seeded Bethany baseball team, met the number one seeded St. Scholastica on the Saints home field on Thursday night in the second round of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Postseason Tournament. While it looked like the Saints might pull through for the win, the Vikings never gave up and came back to win the game 10-9 in ten innings.

The Saints pulled ahead, taking an early lead, holding the Vikings scoreless until the top of the fifth when Bethany loaded up the bases following a Chris Porter (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge) sacrifice bunt. The Vikings took advantage of a passed ball and a Saints error to put two runs on the board to tie up the score.

St. Scholastica answered back when Paul Kolodge hit a two-run triple off the left center field wall and brought the score to 4-2. With an additional RBI single from Brandon Peterson and three additional runs scored by the Saints in the bottom of the sixth (8-2) it was time to hear from the Vikings once again.

The game was far from over when the Vikings perked up and scored three in the seventh to chip away at the Saints’ lead. After back-to-back walks, a bunt by Porter, and a wild pitch, the Vikings were in scoring position. Trent Sonnicksen (Blue Earth Minn./Blue Earth Area) and Zach Herd each picked up a single RBI driving two runs across. Justin Schwecke (Buffalo Lake, Minn./Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop) followed with a RBI triple to right center to cut the Saints’ lead to 8-5.

After a scoreless eighth inning, Bethany kept at it, loading the bases early after a double by Sonnicksen, a walk and a single from Schwecke. A wild pitch followed and brought Sonnicksen home, cinching the lead to 8-6. Steve Hovland (Waseca, Minn./Mayville State Univ.) hit a single to right field and advanced on the throw to bring in two runners and tied the game at eight.

The Saints were unable to score in the bottom of the ninth despite loading the bases. They came close as it appeared there was an error off of a ground ball, but the play was ruled as runner-interference forcing the game into extra innings.

The Vikings took the lead in the top of the 10th with bases loaded and two outs after Johnson hit a single through the right side to bring in two runs, giving Bethany the 10-8 lead.

The Saints had one more opportunity to steal the show but didn’t have it in them despite loading the bases and forcing a run after a walk.

The Vikings took the 10-9 victory and will now move on to the Championship game where they will meet the winner of the elimination game (St. Scholastica # 1 vs. Northwestern # 4) at 4 p.m., on Friday, May 8.