SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Senior Mitch Voter blasted four home runs on the day as the Winona State baseball team earned a 21-9 game one win before settling for a 7-7 game two tie in a nightcap that was delayed, then called, due to rain and lightning.
GAME ONE: WSU 21, USF 9
The Warriors set a season high for hits with 26 and tied a season high with 21 runs as the Warriors used a pair of big innings to power their way to a game one win.
Six different Warriors recorded at least three hits and four Warriors had four hits in arguably the Warriors' best hitting performance of the season. Senior Mitch Voter blasted three home runs on his way to a 4-for-5 effort with six RBI. Sophomore Kipp Youngquist also was 4-for-6 with 5 RBI.
The Cougars scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, but the first of Voter's three bombs on the day cut into that lead with a solo home run in the top of the second.
USF made it 3-1 with an unearned run in the bottom of the second, but the Warriors would take the lead for good in the top of the fourth with a nine-run inning. Michael Hommes began the scoring with a two-run triple, followed by three straight one-run singles by Youngquist, Joe Kubera and Ryan Nyhagen as WSU moved ahead 6-3. Jesus Cazares – who was 4-for-6 with 3 RBI in the game – brought in two runs with a single to left field, then Voter smashed his second home run of the day to break open a 10-3 lead.
USF got three runs back in the bottom of the inning but would never catch up to the Warriors as they'd score multiple runs in every inning on. Nyhagen brought two more runs home in the top of the fifth with a single to center to make it 12-6 before USF picked up one more run in the bottom of the inning.
WSU put the game out of reach with a second big inning, plating seven runs in the top of the sixth. Youngquist accounted for three of those runs with a 3-run blast to left field before Voter matched him with a three-run shot of his own after an RBI single from Cazares as WSU stormed out to a 19-7 advantage.
Youngquist and Kubera picked up an RBI each in the top of the seventh as the Warriors put the finishing touches on the 21-9 win.
Mitchell Stalsberg evened his season record at 4-4 by allowing just three earned runs through five innings while scattering 11 hits and striking out five.
GAME TWO: WSU 7, USF 7
The Warriors had to settle for their first tie since 2004 thanks to inclement weather that rolled into the Sioux Falls area midway through the game.
Each team scored a pair of runs in the first inning and both teams led 5-5 after three innings. A pair of RBI singles by the Cougars put the home team out in front 7-5 after four innings, but WSU battled back to tie the game at 7-7 thanks to Mitch Voter's fourth blast of the day and an error by the Cougars to score Taylor Field.
The game was then suspended with two outs in the bottom of the sixth and eventually called after a rain delay.
Winona State steps outside of NSIC play to host crosstown foe Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. Wednesday before resuming conference play at home against Minnesota State for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday at Loughrey Field.
