LEESBURG, Fla. – Aaron Mutter, Jacob Watzka and Nicolas Herold combined Friday afternoon for nine strikeouts while limiting Wheeling Jesuit University to just two runs as Winona State University used a familiar formula for its second straight win in a 3-2 ballgame.
Along with some clutch hitting, the Warriors (5-2) have won five of their last six games on the young season to go along with a collective 3.95 team ERA.
Mutter struck out a season-best seven batters over 7.0 IP to earn a no decision in his third start of the year. Watzka (1-0) tallied the win after working a perfect inning in the eighth while Herold recorded his third save of the season.
After collecting a career-best five RBI on Thursday, Derek Martin drove in two more runs against the Cardinals on Friday, including the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning to set up Herold's second save in as many days.
Neither Mutter or the Wheeling Jesuit starter allowed a runner past first base over the first two frames of the pitcher's duel in Florida. Winona State was first to break the scoring seal in the bottom of the third inning before the Cardinals responded to take their only lead of the day in the top of the fourth.
Nick Nalewanski extended his current hitting streak to five straight games with a leadoff double to open the third inning. Two batters later, Tanner Williams produced the first run of the game with a clutch two-out single to drive in Nalewanski.
Mutter made quick work of the first two batters he faced in the top of the fourth frame before a harmless single preceded a two-run homer to give Wheeling Jesuit a 2-1 lead. The junior right-hander then hit the next batter he faced before allowing another single. Mutter worked himself out of the jam like a true veteran by striking out the final batter of the inning to strand a pair of Cardinal runners.
In the bottom of the sixth, Martin continued his hot streak of production at the plate knocking in Austin Savary to tie the game at two apiece. Savary reached base earlier in the inning on a double and advanced to third base on a Cardinal error.
After setting down WJU in order in the fifth and sixth frames, Mutter worked himself out of another jam in his final inning of action. With the score knotted at 2-2, the Cardinals put runners on the corners with just one out before Mutter punched out his ninth batter of the day and ended the seventh frame with a groundout.
Winona State started its eighth inning rally with back-to-back singles by Sam Kohnle and Savary, and eventually loaded the bases after Andrew Pliner reached on an error. Two batters later, Martin recorded his team-leading 10th RBI of the season to give the Warriors the lead and allow Herold to close the door in the ninth on the Cardinals.
Winona State continues to stretch of six games in the Sunshine State on Saturday against (RV) Seton Hill University at 10:30 a.m. CT.
