McMinnville, Ore: The No. 1 Denison Big Red baseball team continued its three-game series with the Linfield Wildcats on Friday. The Big Red would earn its 12th straight victory with a 6-1 win to move to 13-1 on the season. Erik Sundgren smashed two homers in the win, and Will Rettig moved to 5-0 on the season with the win. Linfield falls to 12-6 with the loss.

No. 1 Denison 6, Linfield 1

The Big Red offense wasted no time getting on the board, as Eron Vega blasted a lead-off home run to take an early lead. Batting in the two spot, Jack Rollo would reach with a single to centerfield before Erik Sundgren would clear the bags with a two-run bomb over the centerfield wall to take a 3-0 first-inning lead.

Senior Will Rettig got his fifth start of the season. The righty would retire the side to win the first frame. The top of the second would result in zero runs for the Big Red. In the bottom of the second, Rettig would record two strikeouts to maintain the 3-0 lead heading into the top of the third.

Sundgren caught fire, blasting another homer in the top of the third, this time to right center, to take a 4-0 lead. Rettig would continue a dominant outing, keeping the Wildcat zero posted on the scoreboard.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Big Red would plate another run in the top of the fifth. Vega doubled down the right field line before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Rollo would record a RBI with a sac fly to deep center field. Sundgren would draw a walk and steal his 15th bag of the year before getting stranded at second.

After another scoreless inning from Rettig, the Big Red would tack on another lone run in the top of the sixth. Ethan Smith doubled to right field to kick off the inning. As Nate Lloyd would pinch run for Smith, Max Fishbein would pick up an RBI with a single to left field to make it a 6-0 lead in favor Denison.

The two teams would trade scoreless frames in the seventh. Rettig would retire after 7.0 shutout innings of work on the mound with seven strikeouts, two walks, and just three hits. Noah Shapo would come out of the bullpen in relief with a 6-0 lead in the top of the eighth inning. The Wildcats would plate one before Max Mullen would close the inning with two strikeouts to hold the Denison lead at 6-1. 

In the final frame, the Big Red would find base runners with a single from Vega and an intentional walk of Sundgren but the Wildcats would escape and hold Denison to zero runs. In one last at bat, Mullen would record three strikeouts to secure the Big Red victory. 

Offensively, the Big Red were led by Sundgren and Vega. Sundgren blasted two homers and collected three RBIs. Sundgren also paced the offense with three walks and a stolen base. Vega also tacked on a home run to his season total and went 3-5 at the plate.

Rettig earned his fifth win of the year to move to 5-0. After Rettig, the duo of Shapo and Mullen would combine for 2.0 innings of the work to close the game. Mullen recorded all five of his outs via strikeout. Behind the staff, the defense would play perfect, recording zero errors in the win.

Up Next: The Big Red will play one final game out west tomorrow against Linfield to look for its final win of the spring break. First pitch is scheduled for 1 P.M. PT / 4 P.M. ET