AUSTIN – The Riverland Community College baseball team opened the 2001 season by dropping a doubleheader to Bethany Lutheran College at Marcusen Park Sunday.

Tuesday, April 10, 2001

AUSTIN – The Riverland Community College baseball team opened the 2001 season by dropping a doubleheader to Bethany Lutheran College at Marcusen Park Sunday.

John Roesler, a freshman left-hander from Blue Earth, pitched an outstanding game in the opener but the Blue Devils couldn’t muster enough offense and lost 2-1.

Roesler pitched six-plus innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking three and striking out three. Justin Kohn, a sophomore from Albert Lea, finished on the mound.

Matt Raso, a sophomore from Austin, was 2-for-3 with two doubles to lead the offense. Jason Koupal, a sophomore from Lyle, had RCC’s only other hit.

Game two was a 12-2 loss that got out of hand when Bethany put seven runs on the board in the sixth.

&uot;We got caught walking too many batters and pitching from behind in the count,&uot; said Blue Devils coach Lee Brand. &uot;We did, however, put the ball in play much better in the second game.&uot;

Koupal was 2-for-3 while scoring a run. The other RCC hit went to Josh Ramaker, a freshman from Fillmore Central.

Craig Smith started on the mound and took the loss. The freshman from Austin gave up five runs on five hits, with eight walks and no strikeouts. Three other pitchers saw action in relief.

The rest of the 2001 RCC roster includes Jake Frey, freshman, Blue Earth; Matt Nalan, freshman, Sheffield-Chapin-Meservey-Thornton, Iowa; Chris Stratton, freshman, Austin; Tyler Dressen, freshman, Blue Earth; Lyle Sellers, freshman, Owatonna; Josh Diemer, sophomore, LeRoy-Ostrander; Nate Vollbrecht, freshman, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown; Josh Kunze, freshman, Lyle; Curt Roiger, sophomore, Blue Earth; Matt Lange, sophomore, Austin; Zach Berhow, sophomore, Austin; Brandon Tukua, freshman, Alden-Conger; and Brian Hill, freshman, Fillmore Central.

The Blue Devils host Rochester in a rescheduled doubleheader Wednesday at 2 and 4 p.m.