No. 14 NIACC completes sweep of Southwestern
CRESTON — A team accustomed to postseason success is putting itself in a position to claim a regular-season crown.
The No. 14 NIACC baseball team finished a four-game sweep at Southwestern Sunday, rolling to wins of 8-4 and 12-6.
The Trojans trail Kirkwood, which swept Iowa Central this weekend, by one game with three four-game series' remaining. NIACC has reached the NJCAA Division II World Series twice in three years but didn't win the ICCAC regular-season crown either time.
"We've got to take care of our business," NIACC coach Travis Hergert said. "It's going to be a dandy of a series this weekend (against Iowa Central). We have to have a good week of preparation and get a few guys healthy."
The Trojans finished the four-game sweep over the Spartans by posting 44 runs in four games.
Winners in 11 of its last 12 conference games, NIACC's offense has been superb.
Perhaps nobody has been better of late than Troy Bullingham.
The right fielder had four hits and drove in four in Sunday's 12-6 victory. Over his last seven games, Bullingham has six home runs, three doubles and 20 RBIs to go along with five walks. He's hitting .577 in that stretch.
"He goes in stretches, and this is probably one of his best," Hergert said. "He's getting good pitches to hit in good counts. He's squaring it up."
Malique Ziegler has been no slouch at the plate, either.
The center fielder homered again Sunday, giving him 11 for the season and tying him for second in the ICCAC with teammates Bullingham and Robbie Glendinning. Catcher Blake Whitecotton also homered.
Tony Grabowske allowed two hits in five innings in the opener to gain the victory before Dusty Harrill struck out 10 in his Game 2 start.
NIACC (25-11, 12-4) begins a four-game series at home against Iowa Central on Saturday. But first the Trojans step out of conference to play at Dakota County, Minnesota, on Tuesday.
NIACC 8, SOUTHWESTERN 4
NIACC 011 211 2 – 8 6 0
S'western 001 001 2 – 4 7 1
Tony Grabowske (5K, 1BB), Danny Beizer (6) (2K, 2BB) and Blake Whitecotton. HR – Malique Ziegler (N). Multiple hits – Ziegler 3, Connor Enochs (N) 3. Multiple RBIs – Ziegler 2.
NIACC 12, SOUTHWESTERN 6
NIACC 010 600 401 – 12 15 0
S'western 013 002 000 – 6 10 3
Dusty Harrill (10K, 3BB), Ty Yewman (7) (1K, 1BB), Danny Bezier (9) (0K, 1BB) and Austin LaDoux. HR – Blake Whitecotton (N). 2B – Malique Ziegler (N), Troy Bullingham (N) 2, Cam Shannon (N). Multiple hits – Bullingham 4, Spencer Halloran (N) 2, Matt Schwarz (N) 2, Jonathan Cruz (N) 2. Multiple RBIs – Bullingham 4, Whitecotton 2.
