Prep Baseball: Wolverines sweep Pequot Lakes to assure first winning season

The Wadena-Deer creek baseball team swept both games of the Mid-State Conference doubleheader from Pequot Lakes by scores of 5-1 and 3-1 on Tuesday.

The doubleheader sweep assured the Wolverines of their first winning season since 2005.

“This group took it upon themselves turn this program around,” Wadena-Deer Creek coach Kyle Dykhoff said. “The nine wins so far are more than the last three seasons combined, and we’ve accomplished some team goals along the way—including snapping the losing streak to Perham.”

Colter Pettit went the distance on the mound to secure the Wolverines game one win. He allowed just one run on five hits and struck out seven in seven innings.

Tyler Wohlwend went 1-for-3 and drove in a pair in the sixth to give the Wolverines some insurance runs. Jake Rude also had a hit, scored twice and drove in the final run in the seventh as the Wolverines capitalized on five Patriot errors.

Derrick Rude took the hill in the nightcap and struck out 10 as Ryan Nelson and Kevin Tumberg scored runs in the sixth to break up the scoreless game. Nelson tallied the final run in the top of the seventh with his RBI single.

The Wolverines played error free ball in both games and took advantage of the nine given by Pequot Lakes to improve to 9-8 on the season.

“Our defense and pitching was outstanding in both games,” Dykhoff said. “I’m really proud of the guys for fighting down the stretch to win five of the last seven games. This team is not done yet, [there is] still a lot of baseball to be played.”

Pequot Lakes was led by Jordan Severence, who went 3-for-3 and drove in the Patriots’ lone run in the nightcap.

Wadena-Deer Creek will wrap up the regular season at Pelican Rapids 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Wadena-Deer Creek at Pequot Lakes on May 25
Wolverines 5, Patriots 1 (Game One)
Wadena-Deer Creek 1 0 1 0 0 2 1—5 3 0
Pequot Lakes 0 0 1 0 0 0 0—1 5 5
WP: Colter Pettit (WDC) 7IP, 5H, 1R, 1ER, 5BB, 7K)
LP: Nathan Lehman (PL) (7IP, 3H, 5R, 1ER, BB, 5K)
Wadena-Deer Creek—Ryan Nelson 1-4, R; Jake Rude 1-3, 2R, RBI; Tyler Wohlwend 1-3, 2RBI
Pequot Lakes—Jacob Box 1-3, 2B; Nathan Lehman 1-3, RBI; Michael VanKleeck 1-2; Nick Lindner 1-2; Andrew Kostecka 1-3, R

Wolverines 3, Patriots 1 (Game Two)
Wadena-Deer Creek 0 0 0 0 0 2 1—3 2 0
Pequot Lakes 0 0 0 0 1 0 0—1 6 4
WP: Derrick Rude (WDC) (7IP, 6H, 1R, 1ER, 4BB, 10K)
LP: Tom LaRue (PL) (7IP, 2H, 3R, 0ER, 4BB, 4K)
Wadena-Deer Creek—Nelson 1-4, R, RBI; Tumberg 1-3, 2B, R
Pequot Lakes—Box 1-3, R; Jordan Severance 3-3, RBI; VanKleeck 1-3, 2B; Kostecka 1-3, 2B