SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Just hours after sophomore Jesus Cazares had one of his most heartbreaking at-bats of the season, he responded with one of his most outstanding games at the plate as a Warrior. While facing elimination on the first day of the NSIC/US Bank Tournament, Cazares put together a four-hit game in leading the number seven-seeded Winona State (22-29) to an 11-3 victory over the number six-seeded Concordia-St. Paul (21-23) Wednesday night at Ronken Field.
 
The Warriors were coming off a tough loss to No. 5 Minnesota State earlier in the day. With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth of the first game, Cazares was the victim of an outstanding defensive play by the Mavericks shortstop that robbed Cazares of a hit and turned what potentially could have been the go-ahead hit into a game-ending double play.
 
Cazares rebounded with perhaps one of his best games of his career, leading a dynamic Warriors offense with a 4-for-5 performance from the plate with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored to advance to the second day of the tournament and eliminate the Golden Bears from the tournament field.
 
Cazares' big day started right off the bat in the first inning. After senior right fielder Jordan Plamann reached on a single, Cazares blasted his first home run on a two-run shot to right field on a 2-0 pitch to give Winona State the early 2-0 lead.
 
The Warriors opened up the scoring even more in the second inning, putting together a five-run frame to blow the game wide open. After freshman left fielder Mitchell Heid led off the second inning with a single through the middle, freshman catcher Taylor Field smacked a deep triple to the right center field gap that scored Heid all the way from first to stretch the lead to 3-0.
 
In the next at-bat, designated hitter Nathan Krause dropped a slow roller to the shortstop and beat out the throw for an RBI infield single, scoring Field from third to make it a 4-0 game.
 
Three batters later, Nehring launched his second home run of the day on a deep shot to right field to score three runs and put Winona State up 7-0 before the Golden Bears even registered six outs in the ballgame. Nehring also went yard in WSU's 5-4 loss to No. 5 Minnesota State earlier in the day.
 
Concordia-St. Paul managed to rally over the next three innings, picking up runs in the third, fourth, and fifth inning to chip the Warriors lead down to 7-3. However, Winona State answered by putting together another big, four-run inning by taking advantage of a couple crucial Golden Bear mistakes.
 
After Krause reached on a fielding error, and sophomore center fielder Michael Hommes drew a walk, the two moved up a base after a pickoff attempt by the Concordia-St. Paul pitcher went wrong, putting Krause and Hommes on second and third with no outs.
 
Sophomore second baseman Andrew Geislinger took advantage. On an 0-1 count, Geislinger drove a single to right, scoring WSU two baserunners to expand WSU's lead back to 9-3.
 
Three batters later, Cazares delivered his second home run of the game, delivering a two-run blast down the right field line with Nehring on-base to give the Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 11-3.
 
In the end, that would be all the runs Winona State needed as the Warriors bullpen shut the door in the final three innings to keep Concordia-St. Paul off the board and allow the Warriors to see another day.
 
Freshman starting pitcher Mitchell Stalsberg picked up the win, pitching six innings and giving up just three earned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out eight. Dan Lohff, Josh Nielsen, and Mitch Voter each pitched a scoreless inning of relief in the victory.
 
As a team, the Warriors scored their 11 runs on 14 hits and drawing four walks. To go with Cazares four-hit game, Nehring went 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored.
 
On the whole, it was a great day for left side of WSU's infield. Nehring and Cazares, the Warriors three and four hitters combined to hit 10-for-16 with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and six runs scored in their first two games of the tournament.
 
With the win, Winona State survives to play another game as they will play the loser of this afternoon's Minnesota Duluth/St. Cloud State game at 7 p.m. in Sioux Falls Stadium.