Nick Stenberg and Grant Dierkhising turned in solid pitching performances to lead the Park Rapids baseball team to a Mid-State Conference doubleheader sweep over Wadena-Deer Creek Tuesday at Wadena.
Stenberg threw a one-hitter and struck out 11 as the Panthers won the opener 3-0. Singles by Doug Haas and Tom Juberian sparked a two- run third inning and Dierkhising's solo home run accounted for the Panthers' other run in the fifth inning.
In the second game, a six-run first inning backed up Dierkhising's three-hitter as the Panthers completed the sweep with an 8-1 victory in a game that was called after four innings because of darkness.
Singles by Haas and Juberian, Brandon Gart-ner's two-run double, Josh Burlingame's RBI single and five walks gave the Panthers a quick 6-0 lead.
A walk to Stenberg, an RBI double by Chris Bruhn and a passed ball led to the Panthers' other two runs in the fourth to seal a successful season opener.
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W-DC fell to 0-4 on the season.
(GAME 1)
Park Rapids 002 010 0 .....3 5 0
W-DC 000 000 0 .....0 1 3
PLAYER AB R H RBI
Haas 4 1 1 0
Juberian 3 1 1 0
Stenberg 4 0 0 0
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Dierkhising 2 1 1 1
Bruhn 3 0 0 0
Blanchard 1 0 0 0
E. Donatelle 1 0 0 0
Lehrke 1 0 0 0
Ryan 3 0 1 0
Gartner 3 0 1 0
Totals 25 3 5 1
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Stenberg (7IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 11K) and Bruhn. W-Stenberg, 1-0. L-Wolden. HR: Dierkhising 1. SB: Haas 1, Juberian 1, Bruhn 2, E. Donatelle 1, Ryan 1.
(GAME 2)
Park Rapids 600 2 .....8 5 1
W-DC 010 0 .....1 3 0
PLAYER AB R H RBI
Haas 3 1 1 0
Juberian 2 1 1 0
Stenberg 1 2 0 0
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Dierkhising 2 1 0 1
Bruhn 2 1 1 1
Blanchard 3 0 0 0
Ryan 2 1 0 1
Gartner 2 1 1 2
Hansen 1 0 0 0
Burlingame 2 0 1 1
E. Donatelle 1 0 0 0
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Totals 21 8 5 6
Dierkhising (4IP, 1ER, 3H, 2BB, 7K) and Bruhn. W-Dierkhising, 1-0. L-Pettit. 2B: Gartner 1, Bruhn 1. SB: Haas 1, Stenberg 1, Bruhn 1, Burlingame 1.
