Solid Pitching Fuels Dexter Win Against Ypsilanti

Dexter baseball used strong pitching and solid defense to defeat Southeastern Conference White Division host Ypsilanti 3-2 on Thursday.

Joel Gowen earned the win from the mound for the Dreadnaughts going the distance by allowing 10 hits, walking one and striking out a season-high eight Phoenix batters.

“Joel pitched a heck of a game,” Dexter coach Don Little said. “That was his best performance of the year.”

Dexter jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead as Mike Mioduszewski singled and was brought home by Dreadnaught clean-up hitter Ian Boyd’s RBI double.

Dexter increased its advantage to 3-0, scoring two runs in the third inning.  Jake Stegemann led off the frame drawing a walk. He then stole second base and moved to third base on lead-off hitter Justin Hart’s single. Both Hart and Stegemann were brought home on Boyd’s two out, two-run RBI single.

Ypsilanti answered in the bottom half of the third inning scoring two runs on four hits, including senior first baseman and clean-up hitter Jordan Uranga’s RBI groundout, which drew the Phoenix closer at 3-2.

In the final four innings, however, Gowen buckled down yielding only three hits, while fanning four.

Boyd led the Dreadnaughts offensively with two hits, including a double and three RBIs.

Mioduszewski finished with two hits and one run scored, while Hart had one hit, one stolen base and one run scored. Jordan Sharp had a single, while Dylan Pierce had a single and a stolen base for Dexter.

“Our bats were a little dead,” Little said. “But we played well defensively committing only one error. It was a good win that we needed to get.”

Uranga ended up with two hits and one RBI to pace Ypsilanti at the plate.

Sophomore Justin Goebel absorbed the loss from the hill for the Phoenix throwing a complete game, allowing seven hits, striking out seven and walking three.

“It was a close game,” Ypsilanti coach Chris Dessesiler said. “We hit the ball a lot better today. Justin (Goebel) threw the ball well.”

Dexter next hosts Saline on Monday for a doubleheader at 4 p.m. The Hornets have been Division 1 state runner-up the last three consecutive seasons.

On May 12, the Dreadnaughts travel to defending Division 1 state champion Ann Arbor Pioneer for a doubleheader at 4 p.m.