"Big Four" Leads Boxers To Split At Wartbueg Desert Duals

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LAS VEGAS – Pacific's "Big Four" of Eric Harder (Jr., Bethesda, Md.), Ryan Baxter (Jr., Craig, Alaska), Bruce Balcita (Sr., Myrtle Creek, Ore.) and Caleb Malychewski (Sr., Camas, Wash.) led the way against their first Division III competition Saturday, splitting their matches at the Wartburg Desert Duals at the Flamingo Hotel.
 
The quarter won all their matches in the four duals, which lifted the Boxers to a 4-3 dual meet record.  Harder posted two pins while raising his record to a Pacific best 15-2 at 133 pounds.  Malychewski scored two falls and a major decision as he saw his record improve to 14-2 at 184 pounds.
 
Baxter also collected two falls along with a forfeit victory to improve to 13-5 overall as the starter at 149 pounds.  Balcita won three decisions and collected a forfeit to run his mark to 12-5.
 
The Boxers won their first two matches of the day, pulling away late to beat a pesky Delaware Valley team 25-19 before dominating Heidelberg 36-19.  The final two competitions slipped away at the end, with the Boxers dropping a 26-16 decision to Concordia (Neb.) and a 27-18 defeat to St. John's (Minn.).
 
Against Delaware Valley, the two teams traded victories up until the 184-pound bout.  With Delaware Valley leading 16-15, Malychewski gave the Boxers the victory for good with a 12-0 major decision over Andrew Preist.  Chris Harlin (Sr., Issaquah, Wash.) then guaranteed the win with a third round pin of Robert Hennings at 197 pounds.
 
Losses by major decision and fall in two of the three opening matches against Heidelberg did little to phase the Boxers, who won five of the final seven matches.  Forfeits by Heidelberg at 149 and 165 pounds, sandwiching a third round fall for Devan Silva (Jr., Spokane, Wash.), propelled Pacific to an 18-10 lead.  Malychewski and Harlin both added pins in the upper weights to clinch the team victory.
 
While Pacific never led in their match with Concordia, the Boxers were in a position to win right until the end.  Pacific erased an 11-6 deficit with Balcita's major decision over Austin Starkey and Malychewski brought the Boxers back to within 17-16 with a first round pin on Kale Hintz.  Ken Burhardt, Jr., gave Concordia the lead for good with a close 4-3 decision over Harlin at 197 pounds.
 
St. John's led Pacific by as much as 18-9 mid-way through the match thanks to pins in all three of their victories.  Pacific came back to tie the match at 18-18 with three straight victories.  Balcita was a 5-2 winner over Brandon Seppett at 165 pounds.  Michael Tyner (Jr., Aloha, Ore.) scored a 7-0 shutout over Devin Naik at 174 pounds and Malychewski ended his day with a 7-1 decision over David Rademaher at 184. 
 
Ryan Michaelis put the Johnnies back ahead with his 4-1 win over Harlin and John Scepaniak closed the day with a first round pin in the heavyweight match.
 
Pacific will enjoy some time off for the Christmas break before returning to the mat on Fri., Jan. 10, for their annual rivalry match with Southern Oregon.
 
PACIFIC 25, DELAWARE VALLEY NO. 2 19
125: Josh Di Santo (DVC) win by fall over Lucas Beltz (PAC), 0:49 (6-0 DVC)
133: Eric Harder (PAC) win by fall over Connor Kirkegard (DVC), 4:52 (6-6 Tie)
141: Dekou Harris (DVC) win by maj. dec. over Carson French (PAC), 11-0 (10-6 DVC)
149: Ryan Baxter (PAC) win by fall over James DeLillo (DVC), 2:33 (12-10 PAC)
157: Alec Horan (DVC) dec. Devan Silva (PAC), 6-3 (13-12 DVC)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) dec. Nick Della Fera (DVC), 3-2 (15-13 PAC)
174: Benjamin Schweiger (DVC) dec. Michael Tyner (PAC), 8-5 (16-15 DVC)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) win by maj. dec. over Andrew Preist (DVC), 12-0 (19-16 PAC)
197: Chris Harlin (PAC) win by fall over Robert Hennings (DVC), 5:56 (25-16 PAC)
285: Thomas Tehan (DVC) dec. Aaron Beadle (PAC), 3-2, OT (25-19 PAC)
 
PACIFIC 36, HEIDELBERG NO. 2 19
125: Ty Price (HC) win by maj. dec. over Lucas Beltz (PAC), 14-2 (4-0 HC)
133: Eric Harder (PAC) win by fall over Steve Harmon (HC), 2:32 (6-4 PAC)
141: Tyler Majoy (HC) win by fall over Carson French (PAC), 6:52 (10-6 HC)
149: Ryan Baxter (PAC) win by forfeit (12-10 PAC)
157: Devan Silva (PAC) win by fall over Alex Vencill (HC), 6:59 (18-10 PAC)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) win by forfeit (24-10 PAC)
174: Matt Shurina (HC) dec. Jacob Richards (PAC), 5-0 (24-13 PAC)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) win by fall over Justin Halaska (HC), 4:12 (30-13 PAC)
197: Chris Harlin (PAC) win by fall over Gage Finegan (HC), 6:22 (36-13 PAC)
285: Alex Farrow (HC) win by fall over Aaron Beadle (PAC), 3:46 (36-19 PAC)
 
CONCORDIA (NEB.) 26, PACIFIC 16
125: Dmitri Smith (CC) dec. Lucas Beltz (PAC), 9-5 (3-0 CC)
133: Eric Harder (PAC) dec. Kodie Cole (CC), 10-7 (3-3 Tie)
141: Foster Bunce (CC) win by tech. fall over Carson French (PAC), 17-0 (8-3 CC)
149: Ryan Baxter (PAC) dec. Enrique Barajas (CC), 6-1 (8-6 CC)
157: Tommy Bailey (CC) dec. Devan Silva (PAC), 10-5 (11-6 CC)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) win by maj. dec. over Austin Starkey (CC), 12-4 (11-10 CC)
174: Austin Fehlhafer (CC) win by fall over Jacob Richards (PAC), 1:34 (17-10 CC)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) win by fall over Kale Hintz (CC), 1:54 (17-16 CC)
197: Ken Burhardt, Jr. (CC) dec. Chris Harlin (PAC), 4-3 (20-16 CC)
285: Ceron Francisco (CC) win by forfeit (26-16 CC)
 
ST. JOHN'S (MINN.) 27, PACIFIC 18
125: John Wells (SJU) win by fall over Lucas Beltz (PAC), 3:48 (6-0 SJU)
133: Eric Harder (PAC) dec. Andrew Poster (SJU), 10-3 (6-3 SJU)
141: Ben Henle (SJU) win by fall over Carson French (PAC), 1:38 (12-3 SJU)
149: Ryan Baxter (PAC) win by fall over Aaron Padrnos (SJU), 3:55 (12-9 SJU)
157: Ryan Arne (SJU) win by fall over Devan Silva (PAC), 1:43 (18-9 SJU)
165: Bruce Balcita (PAC) dec. Brandon Seppett (SJU), 5-2 (18-12 SJU)
174: Michael Tyner (PAC) dec. Devin Naik (SJU), 7-0 (18-15 SJU)
184: Caleb Malychewski (PAC) dec. David Rademacher (SJU), 7-1 (18-18 Tie)
197: Ryan Michaelis (SJU) dec. Chris Harlin (PAC), 4-1 (21-18 SJU)
285: John Scepaniak (SJU) win by fall over Aaron Beadle (PAC), 1:47 (27-18 SJU)
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