HOUSTON – The Winona State baseball team gave No. 22 Central Missouri a challenge, but ultimately fell short in a tightly contested 2-1 loss at the Houston Winter Invitational Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
 
Hayden Krimmer pitched five strong innings for the Warriors, giving up two runs, with only one earned, but had some tough luck when the game reached the sixth inning.
 
The Warriors would get on the board first with some small ball. Michael Hommes opened the game with a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andrew Geislinger. Tyler Nehring would drive him home in the next at-bat with an RBI single to give WSU an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
 
Winona State would hold onto the 1-0 lead over the next five innings as the Warriors took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning.
 
The Warriors' fortunes took a rough turn when Krimmer hit the first batter in the sixth with an inside pitch, sending UCM's Derek Cornell to first. He would end up stealing second base and would score on a single by UCM's Dylan Farrell and a throwing error by Krimmer advanced the runner to second.
 
Jay Voter would replace Krimmer, but a deep flyout would advance Farrell to third and he later scored on a groundout to give Central Missouri a 2-1 lead.
 
WSU would make one last rally in the top of the ninth. After a Geislinger flyout, Nehring was able to knock a single up the middle and Travis Evanson was hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position with one out.
 
The Warriors were unable to complete the rally, as a strikeout and a groundout in the next two at-bats kept WSU from pulling off the upset.
 
The Warriors were only able to muster four hits in the game, two of which came from Nehring in the first and ninth innings.
 
Winona State (0-2) will look to get their first victory of the early season on Saturday, as the Warriors will take on St. Mary's (Tex.) at 6 p.m. in Minute Maid Park.