The Riverland bats came alive Tuesday, sweeping a doubleheader from Minnesota West 10-1 and 18-7 in Worthington.

“This was a really good day for our hitters,” said head coach Scott Koenigs. “They picked our pitcher up with runs when he was struggling.

“These were two much-needed wins.”

Riverland cruised in the first came, not allowing a run until the bottom of the seventh inning.

Connor Hurst went the distance in getting the win allowing just four hits and striking out nine.

Matt Boswell was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Tyler Krekling was 2-for-3 including a double. He scored twice and had two RBIs.

“He’s really been solid,” Koenigs said.

The Blue Devils rebounded from a 3-1 deficit in the second game, piling on five runs in the second and seven in the third to take the 18-7 win.

Joseph Wagner got the win going four innings, striking out three and allowing seven hits. Dallas Coleman mopped things up with a perfect, 1-2-3 sixth.

Riverland’s top of the order of Donte Bledsoe and Michael Kuntson cominged for eight RBIs in the game.

The sweep sets Riverland up for a better position in a run to the conference title. A sweep of Ridgewater this weekend will mean the Blue Devils will play St. Cloud Tech for the conference title.

 

RCC 202 410 1 — 10 15 2

MN West 000 000 1 — 1 4 1

Riverland pitching: Connor Hurst (W): 7IP, 4H, 9K, 1W

Riverland hitting: Donte Bledsoe 2-for-4 (2R, DB), Quinn Yocum 0-for-1 (RBI), Michael Knutson 1-for-3 (SAC, RBI), D.J. Taylor 1-for-1, Matt Boswell 3-for-4 (3R, 3RBI), Carter Guthmiller 0-for-1, Braden Hunkins 1-for-2 (SAC), Andrew Schunck 0-for-1, Tyler Krekling 2-for-3 (2R, 2DB, W, 2RBI), Aaron Palmer 1-for-4 (2RBI), Chris May 0-for-2 (W, RBI), Mike Tindal 0-for-1, Jason Kezman 0-for-3, Joel Howell 1-for-1 (R), Jamie Adams 2-for-3 (2R), Eric Lackey 1-1.

 

RCC 157 14 — 18 14 1

MN West 321 10 — 7 7 1

Riverland pitching: Joseph Wagner (W): 4IP, 3K, 3W, 7H, 7R, 1HB; Dallas Coleman: 1IP, 1K.

Riverland hitting: Bledsoe 1-for-4 (1R, DB, 2SAC, 1W, 1HBP, 4RBI), Knutson 2-for-3 (2R, DB, SAC, 1W, 4RBI), Boswell 2-for-3 (3R, 2DB, W, RBI), Tindal 0-for-1, Hunkins 2-for-2 (1R, DB, W, 3RBI), Taylor 0-for-1, Krekling 2-for-3 (R, W), May 2-for-2 (3R, 2W, RBI), Howell 0-for-0 (3R, SAC, 2HBP, W, RBI), Kesman 0-for-3, Schunck 1-for-1 (R, RBI), Adams 2-for-2 (3R, SAC, HBP, 3RBI).