AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Winona State baseball team rallied from an early four-run deficit to defeat Ohio Dominican 7-5 for its first win of the season Monday in the opner of the Russ Matt Invitational.
 
The Warriors jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as Michael Hommes scored on a wild pitch to open up the scoring in the first inning. However, the Panthers would answer over the next two innings by scoring five runs on seven hits and two errors to jump up to a 5-1 lead after the second inning.
 
Winona State would chip into the lead in the top of the fourth inning. After Andrew Geislinger walked and Travis Evanson reached base on a hit by pitch, sophomore catcher Jesus Cazares drove in Geislinger on an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-2.
 
The Warriors would load the bases on a Paul Mutch walk and Evanson scored in the very next at-bat on another wild pitch to make it 5-3, the second run WSU scored on a wild pitch in the game. Jordan Plamann added an additional RBI single that scored Cazares to cut the Warrior deficit to 5-4.
 
WSU carried the momentum into the bottom of the fourth. After pitcher Scott Freiburger walked the leadoff batter, he struck out three consecutive batters to provide a spark out of the bullpen.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Warriors would reclaim control of the game. Taylor Field led off the fifth with a single and Hommes reached on a walk in the very next at-bat. Geislinger hit a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat to move the runners over for Tyler Nehring. The Warrior shortstop drove home a run on an RBI infield single to tie the game up at 5-5.
 
Evanson in the very next at-bat would drive a hit to centerfield, scoring Hommes and giving Winona State the 6-5 lead.
 
The Warriors added an insurance run in the seventh as Hommes led off the inning with a double to right field and Geislinger moved him over to third on a single to left. Nehring in the next at-bat drove in his second run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Hommes from third and making it a 7-5 Warrior lead.
 
Winona State's bullpen held strong for the remainder of the game, as a runner would not reach scoring position again until the ninth for the Panthers. After Ohio Dominican led off the inning with a leadoff double, Warrior closer Mitch Voter recorded three consecutive outs on a strikeout, fly out, and ground out to give Winona State its first victory of the season.
 
The Warrior offense was led by Nehring, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Hommes would provide a spark on the base paths. Hommes went 1-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored.
 
The Warrior bullpen was strong in relief of starter Will Lundquist, who pitched just two innings after giving up five runs – two earned – with a pair of strikeouts. The trio of Freiburger, Lucas Crimmins, and Voter picked him up by pitching seven strong shutout innings, giving up just seven hits and one walk while striking out 11. Freiburger picked up the win by pitching three innings, giving up just a hit and a walk while fanning five Panther batters. Voter picked up the save, pitching two innings and giving up three hits and picking up three strikeouts in his first save of the season.
 
Winona State (1-6) continues its six-game Florida swing Tuesday, traveling to Melbourne, Fla. to take on Florida Tech at 5 p.m.