DULUTH, Minn. – Sophomore Derek Martin combined to go 7-for-9 with four RBI including a career-best five-hit effort in the finale of Winona State University's doubleheader sweep at Minnesota Duluth on Thursday afternoon.
Nicolas Herold was the winning pitcher in the Warriors' 4-2 triumph in the opener and Tanner Haessly earned his first win of the season in the 9-5 finale.
Winona State (16-15, 15-9 NSIC) improved to over .500 for the first time this season and has won 11 of its last 14 ballgames.
Making his first start of the season, Herold (2-3) notched the first complete game victory of his collegiate career. The freshman allowed two runs on six hits over 7.0 IP while striking out six batters. The Bulldogs got to Herold for a run in the bottom of the first inning, and after allowing a leadoff single in the second, the right-hander didn't allow another Duluth base hit until the sixth frame.
Trailing 1-0 after two innings, the Winona offense took the lead with a two-out rally in the top of the third. After reaching on a fielder's choice and advancing to third on an error, Andrew Pliner crossed home to tie the game on a wild pitch. Chad Herbst and Martin each recorded RBI-singles later in the frame to put the Warriors on top 3-1.
Duluth cut its deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth ahead of Martin's RBI-triple in the top of the seventh to pad the Winona lead back to 4-2. The Bulldogs put the tying runs on base in the bottom of the seventh, but Herold worked out of the jam to secure the victory.
The Warriors led wire-to-wire in game two after plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Mitchell Heid's two-out, two-run single chased home Sam Kohnle and Pliner to give WSU the early lead.
Kipp Youngquist tallied an RBI-single in the third inning as did Taylor Field in the fourth following a sacrifice fly by Kohnle. Field added a sac fly in the sixth frame as the WSU lead swelled to 6-0. The Bulldogs finally got on the board in the bottom half of the sixth, but the Warrior tacked on three more runs in the seventh.
Martin recorded a two-run single in the seventh before completing his 5-for-5 effort with another base hit in the ninth. The sophomore shortstop is batting 17-for-26 with five extra-base hits and nine RBI over his current seven-game hitting streak which has raised his season batting average to a team-best .375.
Haessly (1-1) allowed just four Duluth hits over 7.0 IP while striking out six and allowing an unearned run. Jackson Stensgard was charged with four runs (one earned) in relief over 1.2 IP and Parker Holmstrom entered the contest from the Warrior bullpen to secure the final out on the mound.
Winona State will travel to Concordia-St. Paul for a four-game series this weekend. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday with the Warriors' final road doubleheader of the regular season slated for 12 p.m. on Sunday.
