Aberdeen, S.D. - The Winona State University baseball team struggled to get hits with runners in scoring position during a doubleheader at Northern State on Friday, falling in a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate (NSIC) contests, losing 12-3 in the first game and 6-1 in the second contest.
The Wolves found a way to tame the Warrior offense, holding WSU to just four runs across 16 innings of play, as the two teams played a 7-inning and 9-inning double-header at Fossum Field.
Game One
Nick Herbst was dialed in against the Wolves pitching, going 3-for-4 and scoring once for the Warriors.
Derek Baumgartner was 1-for-4 with an RBI, while
Tanner Williams,
Austin Savary and
Carter Brinkman all had hits for WSU. Savary added an RBI in the contest and had a stolen base, as well.
As a team, Winona State drew five walks but were unable to convert enough of the free passes into runs, leaving nine men on base over the course of the game.
The first inning saw Winona State draw first blood, when
Tanner Williams singled in
Nick Herbst; however, WSU left the bases full in the inning, and the Wolves were quick to respond in their half of the first, going up 3-1, a lead they would not relinquish.
The bottom of the second was also bountiful for NSU, as they stretched their lead to 8-1 with five runs scored after the first two batters were retired on fly balls. A series of errors by the Warriors and a pair of singles and a triple by the Wolves put WSU behind the eight ball after just two stanzas. Although they added single runs in the third and sixth inning, Warrior bats were unable to mount the comeback needed at the plate in the opening game.
On the mound,
Kyle Gendron (3-2) took the loss for Winona State, conceding eight hits and eight runs, three of which were earned. He struck out three of the 17 Wolves he faced on the day.
Jacob Huebsch took over for Gendron in the second, notching four strikeouts, allowing six hits and giving up six runs.
Nathan Santos threw in the seventh for the Warriors, giving up a pair of hits and one run.
For Northern State, Zach Hrvol collected the win, going six innings with seven strike outs while walking five. Andrew Pugliano took the hill in the seventh and retired the Warrior side in order.
Game Two
In the nightcap, Winona State stranded nine men across the nine inning contest, as the WSU bats went cold with Warriors on the basepaths for the second straight game.
Austin Savary kept the game within reach for his team in the first three innings and went a full six stanzas, giving up 10 hits and striking out three. Warrior run support was absent on the day, with the exception of an
Austin Beyer solo home run in the sixth inning.
In addition to Beyer's blast,
Nick Herbst collected the only other Warrior extra-base hit in the game, a leadoff double to open the game.
Nicolas Herold and
Peter Tveite each threw one inning for Winona State, with Herold retiring the side on three strikeouts. Both relievers faced the minimum three batters in their appearances.
Herbst and
Derek Baumgartner both had two-hit days, with Herbst at 2-for-5 and Baumgartner at 2-for-3. Baumgartner also drew a walk and
Jake Brill stole a base in the ninth inning.
Northern State's starting pitcher Max Otto was impressive for the Wolves, going seven innings, allowing six hits and just one earned run. He had six strikeouts. Mike Stubbs tossed two innings in relief for NSU.
Winona State will look to get back on track tomorrow, Saturday April 3, when they face off in a single 9-inning contest against the Wolves.
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www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
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About Winona State University Athletics:
The Winona State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as an integral part of the educational mission of the institution, is committed to offering opportunities to experience academic and athletic excellence for our student-athletes through two simple words:
Graduate Champions.
Fourteen Warrior programs compete at the NCAA Division II level within the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Winona State University competes as an affiliate member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) in the sport of women's gymnastics.
