Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DULUTH, Minn. - The Winona State University baseball team dropped a pair of contests at the University of Minnesota Duluth on Monday, April 11. 

Playing at Wade Stadium in Duluth, the Warriors and Bulldogs completed their three game series with a doubleheader featuring a 7-inning game followed by a 9-inning affair. Although WSU won on Sunday 6-3, UMD took the series after dealing the Warriors a 5-4 loss in game one and a 6-4 setback in game two. 

Game One

Winona State started strong in game one, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning.  The Warriors put together an impressive opening frame with two outs, as a Dane Weiland walk was followed by a Carter Brinkman double, allowing WSU to score the first run of the game. Moments later, Derek Baumgartner hit a two run home run, plating himself and Brinkman to run the Warrior advantage to 3-0. 

Starting pitcher Dillon Whittaker was on the hill for Winona State and threw four scoreless innings against UMD, while also receiving some additional run support in the third inning when a Brinkman single to left field drove in Weiland for the second time in the contest and giving WSU a 4-0 lead at that point.

Unfortunately, things changed in the bottom of the fifth inning, as the Bulldogs led off the frame with a double to left.  After an error and a walk, a bases loaded sacrifice fly scored one UMD run, followed by a single that doubled the Minnesota Duluth run total. The Bulldogs added one more run - again on a sacrifice fly - and chased Whittaker from the mound in the process.  Warrior reliever Peter Tveite came on to record the final out of the inning for WSU, but the Bulldogs were back in the game, down just one run at 4-3. 

After a scoreless sixth inning for both teams, WSU was also unable to score in the top half of the seventh frame.  In their last at bats, Minnesota Duluth managed to parlay a pair of singles - combined with a stolen base and error on the infield - into a rally.   With first base open, Winona State intentionally walked UMD's Tim Pokomoski, but back-to-back singles scored the game tying and then the game-winning run for the walk off win. 

In the game, Winona State was led by Carter Brinkman who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Derek Baumgartner collected two RBI on his first inning homer, while Dane Weiland scored twice in the game. On the mound, Dillon Whittaker finished with four and 2/3's innings of work, while Peter Tveite pitched in the sixth and seventh innings and took the loss. Overall, UMD scored five runs on nine hits while Winona State had four runs on six hits and committed three errors. 

Game Two

In game two, Cameron Kramer took the mound for Winona State as the Warriors looked to capture the rubber match in the three-game NSIC series. 

The Bulldogs got out in front in the first inning when Brandt Kopack scored after being hit by a pitch to get aboard and then came home after a single and a fielder's choice, giving UMD a 1-0 lead after one. Although they were able to get runners on base in the first, second and third innings due to walks, the WSU offense was slow to heat up in the first few frames. 

In the fourth inning, Winona State collected their first two hits of the game when Miller Wallace and Cooper Kapanke both singled, but WSU was unable to capitalize.  The fifth inning was different for the Warriors, as Nick Herbst singled to lead off the frame, followed by base hits from Dane Weiland and Carter Brinkman.  Brinkman's blast, a double to right center, scored both Weiland and Herbst and drew Winona State level at 2-2. 

After UMD added a run in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead, 3-2, the Warriors responded in the sixth when a leadoff double by Joshua Hawksford was followed by a Blake Kretovics single and a pair of walks. When Hawksford scored on a bases-loaded walk to Nick Herbst, WSU tied the score at 3-3 and then took the lead at 4-3 when Kretovics scored moments later on a Carter Brinkman RBI. 

The Winona State lead was short-lived however, with UMD scoring one run in the bottom of the sixth and another in the seventh, to push the score to 6-4 after seven innings of play. WSU was unable to create any further scoring chances in their final two sets of at bats, as the Bulldog's Ben Reilley and Alex Waterman combined to earn strikeouts on four of the six final Warrior outs. 

Cameron Kramer went six and 1/3 innings for Winona State, conceding six runs while striking out five and was tagged with the loss. Zach Watzka went the final one and 2/3's innings for WSU, allowing one hit and striking out one. Neither Warrior pitcher walked a batter while UMD's staff provided Winona State with seven free passes. 

At the plate, Carter Brinkman had three RBI in the game. Brinkman and Joshua Hawksford both had doubles in the contest, the only WSU extra base hits. Nick Herbst, Dane Weiland, Miller Wallace, Cooper Kapanake and Blake Kretovics all had one single each and Kyle Yu drew two walks in the leadoff role. 

Following the series, Winona State drops to 7-14 overall and 5-5 in NSIC play. The Warriors are scheduled to play at Bemidji State University on Tuesday, April 11, but field conditions in Bemidji may result in a change. Schedule updates will be shared as they are available on www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com. and the WSU Athletics Facebook and Twitter feeds.