DWU's Opsahl gets deal with F-M Redhawks

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Ethan Opsahl wanted to play professional baseball after his career at Dakota Wesleyan University concluded this spring.

Earlier this week, Opsahl got his first action at the professional level.

The left-handed pitcher was signed by the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks prior to the team’s game against the St. Paul Saints Tuesday in Fargo, N.D. In Tuesday’s game, Opsahl got his first chance to show what he could do.

The former Tigers’ ace threw 2 1/3 innings of relief in an 8-2 loss to the Saints. He allowed one run on one hit and one walk. He had two strikeouts.

Wesleyan head coach Steve Gust said he was more nervous listening to the 22-year-old’s performance on the radio than he ever was when Opsahl was pitching for the Tigers.

“He means a lot to me and our baseball program,” Gust said. “After the draft, we were all kind of disappointed because I really thought he was going to go in the draft. But a guy with that much talent is going to get picked up eventually.”

Gust said he and Opsahl made several phone calls to baseball organizations around the country after the pitcher went undrafted.

“I knew we needed to get him playing somewhere as soon as we could,” Gust said. “It was just a matter of time.”

Opsahl was a four-time All-Great Plains Athletic Conference athlete who led his team in strikeouts all four years with the program.

“He graduated and did everything we asked of him in those four years,” Gust said. “He was loyal to DWU and was the best pitcher in the league this last year. I really believe in him and am thankful for what he did for DWU.”

Opsahl was named the GPAC’s pitcher-of-the-year after his senior season, in which he went 9-4 with 94 strikeouts, including a 17-strikeout game against Hastings College.

Opsahl’s new team, the Redhawks, start a three-game series against the Sioux Falls Pheasants tonight in Sioux Falls. Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Tags: sports, updates, baseball, dwu, tigers