WINONA, Minn. – Rain gave way to sunshine on Saturday afternoon at Loughrey Field as Winona State University and Minnesota Duluth squared off for the first two games of a four-game weekend series. And while the clouds parted, the two teams produced a murky defensive effort in the doubleheader split, combined for 11 errors.
Duluth cruised to an 8-1 win in the opening ballgame before WSU bounced back with a 12-6 victory in the finale.
The typically sure-handed Warriors, who entered the day ranked fifth in the country in fielding percentage, committed a pair of errors in the game one loss and suffered a season-high four miscues in game two. The Winona State bats bailed out the defense in the finale by matching its season best with 12 runs.
Austin Savary paced the offensive attacked in game two with a season-high four RBI. The sophomore broke the scoring seal in the top of the first inning with WSU playing as the visitors on its home turf, sparking a four-run frame. Savary's big day continued with a towering two-run homer to left field in the fourth inning.
The Warriors led wire-to-wire in the finale after claiming a 4-0 advantage in the first inning. Winona State then hung a pair of runs on the scoreboard in the third, fourth, seventh and eighth innings.
Duluth slashed its deficit to 8-6 heading to the seventh, but the relentless Warrior offense, which finished with 14 hits, padded their lead with four unanswered runs over the final three innings. Derek Baumgartner's two-hit day was highlighted by an RBI-single in the seventh frame and Kyle Kosobucki added a pinch-hit single to plate Baumgartner later in the inning.
Tanner Williams capped his two-hit day with a two-run single in the eighth. It marked the sophomore's 10th multi-hit game of the season which ranks second on the team. Sam Kohnle went 3-for-3 with a walk, double and four runs scored in the tilt.
Kyle Gendron (2-2) earned the win on the mound and was followed by the Warriors' power trio of arms from the bullpen. Jacob Watzka, Parker Holmstrom and Nicolas Herold combined for 3.2 IP of scoreless relief. Herold struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth while making his 10th straight scoreless appearance this season.
In game one, Caleb Schoenholz (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season. The southpaw allowed eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits over 5.0 IP, but was also a victim of the Warrior offense that mustered just one run on six hits for Schoenholz.
Andrew Pliner accounted for the lone Winona State run in the opener compliments a Bulldog error in the fourth inning.
Winona State (14-11, 8-6 NSIC) and Minnesota Duluth (6-18, 4-11 NSIC) will play two more games on Sunday afternoon – weather permitting. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 12 p.m.
