CROOKSTON, Minn. – The Winona State baseball team rallied from a seven-run deficit to tie the game and force extras before falling to Minnesota Crookston 8-7 Friday afternoon at UMC Baseball Field in Crookston.
Scoreless through three innings, the Golden Eagles scored in the next three innings – including a four-run sixth – to take a comfortable 7-0 lead.
But the comfort would be short-lived, as WSU would go on to score in each of the next four innings. Tyler Nehring got the Warriors on the board with a two-run double to center field in the sixth to palte Andrew Geislinger and Joe Kubera, and Taylor Field hit a solo home run to left center in the seventh to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Nehring produced another run in his next plate appearance, this time an RBI single to left field that scored Jesus Cazares and make it 7-4. A sacrifice fly by Nathan Krause later in the inning scored Nehring to bring WSU within two.
Kubera led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to set the table for Cazares, who blasted a two-run home run to center field to bring the Warriors back even with the Golden Eagles and send the game to extras.
UMC, however, strung together a pair of two-out hits after getting a runner on base by virtue of a hit batter to push across the would-be winning run. The Warriors had the winning run on second with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, but a fielder's choice by Geislinger ended the game and the Warriors' comeback bid in the series finale.
Kubera and Cazares each went 3-for-5 at the plate for WSU, while Nehring led the Warriors with 3 RBI.
Winona State starter Jay Voter pitched well on the mound, scattering six hits through five innings with just one earned run along with two strikeouts. Mitch Voter (0-1) picked up the loss, tossing two innings with an earned run and three strikeouts.
Winona State (3-13) makes its home debut next weekend when it hosts Minnesota Duluth for a pair of noon doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday at Loughrey Field.
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