MANKATO, Minn. – Winona State University capped its 2019 regular season slate on a high note by claiming its three-game weekend series finale on the road over (RV) Minnesota State, 3-2. Austin Savary produced a 2-for-3 effort at the plate with the game-winning RBI in the sixth frame while the Warrior pitching staff kept the Mavericks in check for the duration of the ballgame.
On the mound, Parker Holmstrom, Nicolas Herold and Justin Firpo pieced together the victory Saturday afternoon. Holmstrom gave WSU a pair of scoreless innings to start before turning the ball over to Herold (2-1) who held Mankato to one run on two hits over 3.0 IP for the win in the scorebook. The freshman, Firpo, turned in the longest outing of the trio to earn the save after striking out four batters over 4.0 IP.
Despite dropping the series, the Winona State pitching staff was tough on the Mavericks all weekend. The Warriors limited to Mankato to eight hits in a 3-1 setback on Friday and just six hits in Saturday's 3-2 triumph.
Winona State opened the scoring in the second with a little two-out magic as Savary started his big offensive day with the Warriors' first hit. Nick Nalewanski followed with an RBI-double to chase Savary all the way around to the plate, and Kyle Kosobucki added a run-scoring single to give the Warriors an early 2-0 edge.
With the lead intact, Holmstrom and Herold allowed just one hit apiece over the first four innings against the home team. In the fifth frame, Mankato also produced a two-out rally for its lone run off Herold to make it a one-run affair.
The Warriors answered back immediately with another clutch rally. Derek Martin was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the sixth frame and promptly stole second base. Chad Herbst reached on an error, and with two-outs, Savary struck again with an RBI-single to center field.
Firpo entered in the bottom of the sixth and cruised through his first three innings of work, surrendering just one base hit. Mankato rallied for the final run of the tilt in the bottom of the ninth, but the rookie pitcher was unfazed and sat down the final three batters he faced after back-to-back singles opened the inning.
Winona State concludes the regular season with a record of 24-21 (16-16 NSIC) and Minnesota State sits at 38-11 (28-8 NSIC).
The Warriors entered next week's NSIC Tournament as the number-eight seed and will play top-seeded Augustana University on Wednesday at 12 p.m. in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
