Sioux Falls, S.D. -- The Winona State University baseball team ended their 2021 season on Friday, May 14 against #19 Augustana University with a 7-4 loss in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) postseason.
The result moves the Warriors final record to 22-20 overall and concludes the careers of ten Winona State seniors who were a major part of back-to-back Northern NSIC playoff appearances.
Winona State and the Vikings squared off for the fifth time in 2021, having played a three-game series in late April, along with game one of their best-of-three set to open up NSIC play.
Cameron Kramer (4-1) got the call for WSU and was matched up with Augustana's Max Steffens (7-1).
Both pitchers got out of the gate in fine form throwing scoreless first innings, although Augie picked up one run in the bottom of the second when the Vikings Sam Baier hit a leadoff double, and then advanced on a pair of AU singles to score.
Winona State's answer was immediate, with
Zac Stange scoring after a Viking throwing error allowed him on base and a
Carter Brinkman single, followed by a
Nathan Loomis ground ball to the right side of the infield and some heads-up base running by Stange.
However, the Vikings found the bottom of the third inning to their liking, scoring five runs on four hits and taking advantage of three Warrior miscues. A major blow in the third was a homer by Augustana's Jaxon Rosencranz, accounting for three AU RBI.
Nicolas Herold came on in relief of Kramer to start the fourth inning.
Both teams were able to recalibrate in the fourth and held each other scoreless, and then the Warriors scored two in the fifth when
Derek Martin singled in Loomis and Brinkman. The Vikings added one of their own in the bottom of the fifth to maintain a four run margin over WSU.
Dillon Whittaker took over the Winona State pitching duties for Nick Herold in the sixth; Herold went two full frames, striking out two, walking a Viking and conceding one run. Shortly after Whittaker took over, the Warriors added a fourth run to their ledger, when, in the top of the seventh, back-to-back walks, combined with a hit-by-pitch saw
Carter Brinkman score. His tally closed the gap to 7-4.
Unfortunately for the Warriors, Brinkman's tally was the last of the game, as first Thomas Bruss and then Koby Bishop, came on to combine in a relief effort, with each pitcher throwing one and one-third innings and neither giving up a run.
Cameron Kramer took the loss, finishing the year at 4-2 overall.
Nick Herbst and
Zac Stange both had doubles, while
Nathan Loomis stole a base in the seventh.
Carter Brinkman finished with a 2-for-3 day at the play and scored twice, while
Sam Kohnle had an RBI.
Derek Baumgartner was 1-for-4, as was
Derek Martin.
For the complete 2021 NSIC Baseball Tournament Central homepage,
visit this link.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
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.
