SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After splitting their double header Friday, the Winona State Warriors (8-22) geared up for another double header Saturday versus the University of Sioux Falls Cougars (12-16). The Warriors came back in game one on a two out rally to tie the game at six before the Cougars scored in the bottom of the seventh taking game one 7-6. In game two, a huge eight run sixth inning was too much for Sioux Falls to overcome as the Warriors won 16-5.
Game 1
Seventh Inning Rally Not Enough as Cougars Win on Walk Off.
Joel Kubera opened up the day hitting a leadoff single before advancing to second on a wild pitch. A fielder's choice would later advance Kubera to third as
Jesus Cazares singled to center, scoring Winona State's first run.
Daniel Karlin-Kamin got the nod for the start and began with a one-run lead. A single and a strikeout brought Josh Rehwaldt to the plate. He doubled to left field scoring a run to tie the game at one a piece. The scoring continued on the next at bat as a second straight double, this time from Matthew Minnick making the score 2-1. The Cougars continued to score from there, two straight singles help them take a 4-1 advantage.
Coyle breezed through the third, striking out the first two batters to face him and inducing a fly out ending the top half of the inning. Trying to work out of a two out, two on jam after two singles, Karlin-Kamin was unable to get out of the inning scoreless as Noah Durkin singled allowing a run to score on a throwing error, extending the Sioux Falls edge to 5-1.
Winona State couldn't get to Coyle in the sixth inning with their lone baserunner coming from a walk as three fly outs ended the inning. Rob Johnson kicked off the bottom of the sixth with a triple giving the Cougars an immediate scoring threat.
Caleb Schoenholz was able to work around the leadoff extra base hit, getting a strikeout swinging, inducing a ground out to short and ending the inning on another strikeout, this time looking.
Coyle returned to the mound in the seventh inning looking for the complete game victory. Coyle set the first two Warrior batters down swinging to begin the inning before Kubera reached base once again on a walk.
Paul Mutch pinch hit for Larson, singling to center and advancing Kubera to third.
Taylor Field doubled to left field scoring Kubera and Mutch bringing WSU within two runs. Chris Thompson came in to pitch following the double looking to get the final out. Cazares singled after the pitching change, putting runners on first and third.
Kipp Youngquist followed the single with a single of his own scoring Field and bringing the Warriors within one run.
Chad Herbst kept the two out rally going knocking a single to center scoring
Will Lundquist tying the game at five runs aside. Krause became the seventh straight batter to reach base as he was hit by a pitch, loading the bases before
Mitchell Heid was also hit by a pitch, bringing in the go-ahead run.
Derek Masberg came into pitch for a save opportunity in the bottom of the seventh. Minnick wasted little time tying the game at six with a leadoff homerun to start the home half of the inning. Two batters later, Anthony Lopez hit a one out single to left then later advanced to second and third on back-to-back passed balls. Connor Merriam walked during the next at bat before advancing to second, bringing Gunner Peterson to the plate whose bunt scored Cole Sweeney as the Cougars won 7-6.
Game 2
Eight Run Sixth Catapults Warriors Past Cougars
A walk and a single put runners on first and second to begin the home half of the first. Rehwaldt doubled to left in the third at bat scoring a run and advancing to third when Brent Jarvis was thrown out at home. Rehwaldt scored the games second runner a batter later when Minnick was thrown out stealing second.
The Warriors wasted little time in tying the contest, as Cazares reached first base after being hit by a pitch.
Chad Herbst smacked a homerun to left one batter later, tying the game up. Mutter had a much smoother inning this time around setting Sioux Falls down in order with two groundouts and a fly out.
Winona State got runners on first and second with no outs for the second straight inning but failed to score once again as a strikeout, pick off and a fly out ended the inning. After singling to right field, Peterson advanced to second on a passes ball leading to a walk, putting runners on first and second. A fly out allowed Peterson to advance to third with Rob Johnson stealing second shortly after. A fly out to center by Jarvis scored two, one unearned after a throwing error putting the Cougar advantage at 4-2.
Walks to Larson and Cazares put two runners on to begin the top of the sixth. The Warriors tied the game scoring a run on back-to-back at bats as Heid singled scoring Larson before Herbst singled to left scoring Cazares bringing the score to 4-4. The runs forced a pitching change with Christian Lazar coming in for Gavin.
Sam Kohnle singled to right following the pitching change, loading the bases. With runners in scoring position,
Derek Martin approached the plate doubling down the left field line scoring Herbst and Heid. Winona State added two more during the next at bat as Hommes doubled to right scoring Martin and Kohnle with the Warriors taking an 8-4 lead. The runs knocked Lazar out of the game bringing in Cody Blackwell to pitch. The bases were loaded once again with just one out after Kubera drew a walk and Larson reached after he was hit by a pitch. A double by Field scored Kubera and Hommes as the advantage reached 10-4. The double forced another pitching change as Jackson Olson came into the game. Cazares walked for the second time in the inning, loading the bases once again before a double play ended the marathon inning.
Jacob Watzka entered the game to pitch for the Warriors in the sixth. A one out single put runners on first and second, a fly out would later advance the runners before a walk loaded the bases with two outs. Watzka forced a fly out leaving bases loaded not allowing any runs to score.
Kohnle reached first on a single to begin the seventh, Martin followed with a walk before Hommes singled scoring Kohnle. Kubera singled to left scoring Martin and the score reached 12-4. Mitchell Lyall was brought in to pitch following the runs getting two outs in a row to end the inning.
Brett Herber entered the game to pitch for WSU in the bottom of the seventh. A single and a walk opened the inning before Herber induced a double play before a fly out ended the inning.
Herbst doubled to left driving in a run during the innings third at bat, scoring Heid. Kohnle followed that up with another RBI, this time off a single to right field extending the lead to 14-4. Jack Revier tripled to start the bottom half of the inning, which was followed with a walk putting runners on first and third with none out. A single scored one during the next at bat bringing the score to 14-5 with runners on first and second. Herber later worked out of a one out bases loaded jam getting a strikeout and forcing a pop out to end the inning.
Ryan Patrick entered the game to pitch for Sioux Falls in the ninth. A single by Larson gave the Warriors a baserunner before
Nick Nalewanski doubled scoring Larson as the contest reached 15-5. Heid knocked a two out double to center field scoring one more before being thrown out at third ending the inning with an 11-run lead.
Will Lundquist took the mound in the bottom of the ninth looking to put the game away. The Cougars opened the home half of the final inning with consecutive singles before a strikeout, fly out and a ground out ended the game with a 16-5 Warrior victory.
By: Jake Thiede
