ACC Sweeps Delta

UNIVERSITY CENTER — The Alpena Community College baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep of Delta College on Sunday, winning Game 1 by a score of 11-6 and taking Game 2, 8-7, to push their MCCAA Northern Conference record to 9-4 and extend their conference winning streak to five straight.

The Lumberjacks sit at 11-26-1 overall and hold second place in the Northern Conference standings heading into the most significant stretch of their season.

In the opener, ACC spotted Delta a 4-1 lead through two innings before the offense went quiet in the middle frames. Then came the sixth inning. The Lumberjacks erupted for seven runs to blow the game open, adding a run in the seventh for good measure in an 11-6 final.

Charlie Best was outstanding on the mound, going the full seven innings for the complete game win. He scattered 10 hits and struck out eight Delta hitters while walking none, allowing just one earned run despite some defensive miscues behind him. The Lumberjacks committed four errors in the game, but Best pitched around the mistakes with efficiency, earning the win.

Offensively, ACC benefited from a generous helping of hit batters — six Lumberjacks were plunked by Delta pitching — which helped fuel the Pioneers' downfall. Miguel Salcedo drove in three runs, AJ Wheelock added two RBI, and the top of the lineup created havoc on the bases as ACC swiped eight stolen bases in the contest.

The nightcap was the grittier of the two. Jacob Davis took the ball and turned in a quality five-inning start, allowing three earned runs and picking up the win. Ethan Bergstein worked a solid inning in relief, and Mason McQuillin came on to close it out in the seventh, earning the save.

Maxwell McCarty was the offensive standout in Game 2, driving in three runs with a two-out bases loaded double. Aiden Bishop reached base three times and scored twice, and Lane Gross was a catalyst out of the seven hole, drawing three walks and scoring twice in four plate appearances. Corbin Allen added an RBI sacrifice fly.

Delta made it interesting — the Pioneers were within one run heading into the seventh — but Alpena held on for the 8-7 final to complete the sweep.

With five straight conference wins in hand, the Lumberjacks now turn their attention to Muskegon Community College, which visits Alpena for back-to-back doubleheaders on Monday and Tuesday. The Jayhawks come in at 13-22 overall and 9-8 in conference play, giving ACC four games to make a significant statement in the Northern Conference race. After the way the Lumberjacks have played over their last five conference outings, the home crowd should have plenty to look forward to this week.

First pitch for Monday's doubleheader is scheduled at 2:00 pm at Veteran's Field in Ossineke.