March 5, 2001

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Tex. - The University of South Dakota baseball team got a big day from junior first baseman Rob Heisel on Monday as the Coyotes routed National Christian 18-4 and 13-1 at San Antonio, Tex. Heisel collected five hits in six at-bats, hit three home runs, and drove in 12 runs to lead the Coyotes. USD now stands at 3-0 on the season.

Heisel began his day by hitting a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the first inning, scoring Chris Laws. Chris Gosch hit a two-run single, and Nate Dunlap hit a double that plated another run, giving the Coyotes a quick 4-0 lead after one inning. Heisel then drove in two more runs in the second with a single that scored Derek Huxford and Eric Archer.

National Christian got two of their own in the bottom half of the second on run-scoring double and an error that put the score at 6-2 in favor of USD.

Heisel then continued his monster day with a two-run jack in the fourth, scoring Archer, starting a nine-run outburst that put the Coyotes' lead at a comfortable 15-2. Dunlap drove in a run on a single, Laws hit a sacrifice fly, Dunlap scored on a wild pitch, Huxford pushed another run across with a double, and Archer singled to set the stage for Heisel, who lifted a pitch over the wall for his second homer of the game--and inning. Heisel drove in five of USD's nine runs in the inning.

NCU got two more in the fourth on an error and suicide squeeze, but USD put the finishing touches on the game with three more in the fifth. Eric Rogers hit a run-scoring single, plating Gosch, Huxford drove in another on a single, and Todd Dekkers drove in USD's 18th and final run with a single.

Besides Heisel, USD also got a 3-for-4 performance from Huxford, who drove in two and scored three runs. Dunlap went 2-for-3 and drove in two while scoring one run.

USD starter John Brunswold (1-0) pitched four innings, giving up four hits, four runs--one earned--and two walks while striking out three. Rob Miller pitched the fifth and struck out a batter.

Heisel continued his antics in game two with four more RBI on two hits, one being his third home run of the day coming in the third inning, a three-run bomb that put the Coyotes up 12-1. Heisel also drove in a run in the first on a single. USD also scored in the second on an error, a groundout, and a single by Moore. Bryan Hohenthaner hit a run-scoring triple in the fourth that plated USD's final run.

But the big inning was in the bottom of the third when Gosch hit a run-scoring double, Dunlap hit an RBI groundout, Hohenthaner singled in a run, and Archer drove in two on a bases-loaded double. Heisel then hit his third home run of the day.

National Christian was able to score an unearned run in the first on an error by USD starter Dan Dobraski (1-0), who threw four innings, allowing only one hit and two walks while striking out five. Craig Harris pitched the fifth, striking out a batter and giving up two singles.