WINONA, Minn. – The Winona State University baseball team hosted Minot State today at Loughrey Field for the first two games of a three-game series and split the doubleheader, winning game one 4-3 before falling in the second game 1-7.

Game One:
In a tightly contested pitcher's duel through the majority of the game, Winona State's bats came alive in the sixth inning to score three runs and earn a 4-3 victory. Nicolas Herold started on the mound for WSU and pitched 6.0 innings, striking out nine, and allowing just three runs on six hits to earn the win.

Minot State started the scoring with an RBI double that brought in a run in the fourth inning. Winona State answered back in the bottom of the fifth on a Dane Weiland single, scoring Carter Brinkman to tie the game. The next half inning, MSU scored two more runs to take a 3-1 lead with just 1.5 innings to go.

A two-out rally in the bottom of the sixth gave Winona State a 4-3 lead. With two outs, Derek Baumgartner singled to right to bring in Mason Trocke. Then Carter Brinkman hit an infield single and drove in Nick Herbst, and Weiland added to the party with a single to left field scoring Baumgartner, which was the eventual game-winning run.

Justin Firpo came on in relief to close out the game and sent the Beavers down in order while striking out two batters to earn his first save of the season. At the plate, Weiland and Brinkman each recorded two hits, while Weiland led the way with two RBIs.

Minot State's Jordan Chappell pitched a complete game, striking out seven and allowing four runs, but was handed the loss. Blake Gallagher recorded two hits while Kellen Peat drove in two of their three runs.

Game Two:
Minot State was able to make a dent in the scoring column in four different innings en route to handing Winona State a 7-1 loss. The Beavers scored one run in the second inning and added two more in both the third and fourth to build an early 5-0 lead.

Winona State's bats were cold against MSU's Ricky Apodaca, who pitched 8.0 shutout innings and allowed just two hits while striking out 12 batters. Winona State was able to score one run from Brinkman's solo shot over the right-field fence in the bottom of the ninth, but it was too late as the Beavers had already scored two more in the top of the ninth and eventually won 7-1.

Brinkman led the Warriors at the plate by going 2-4 and recorded the only RBI and run for WSU. Dillon Whittaker got the start on the mound and pitched 4.0 innings, allowing five runs on five hits while striking out five batters. Caleb Strack pitched 5.0 innings of relief and allowed just one hit and two runs, while recording six strikeouts.

Winona State and Minot State will conclude their three-game series tomorrow, March 28. First pitch is scheduled for noon at Loughrey Field in Winona, Minn.
 
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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.