ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Winona State University baseball team continued its winning ways on Saturday, beating Concordia, St. Paul 15-2 to run their winning streak to three straight, sweeping the series with CSP.

The win also locked in the Warriors for the fifth seed in the upcoming 2022 NSIC Baseball Tournament, beginning on Wednesday, May 11.

In St. Paul, Winona State plated two runs in the top of the first inning and went on to run away with the game with Bailey Banaszynski on the mound and earning the win.

Austin Beyer homered with Joshua Hawksford on board via a walk, giving Banasynski a two-run boost to start the game. The junior right hander from Milwaukee retired the Golden Bear side in order to start the game, a feat he would repeat in the third inning as well.

While Banaszynski was frustrating CSP batters, striking out six and walking just one, the WSU bats heated up as the game went on.

Nick Herbst scored in the third inning, taking advantage of a walk and a wild pitch to move to third. On the second wild pitch of the inning from CSP starter Michael Voss, Herbst cross the plate for a 3-0 Warrior advantage.

Cooper Kapanke hit a solo home run to highlight the Warrior fourth frame, his team-leading eighth of the season so far.

Winona State broke the game open in the fifth, scoring six runs on a rally that started with another Herbst walk.

Joshua Hawksford doubled down the left field line to move Herbst to third. Austin Beyer followed with a single, Carter Brinkman a double and the rout was on.  Derek Baumgartner put the exclamation point on the inning with a grand slam, scoring himself along with Dane Weiland, Brinkman and Beyer.

At 10-1, CSP moved to their third pitcher of the day but the Winona State offensive onslaught continued in the sixth.

WSU scored five runs in the sixth, as Weiland, Baumgartner and Ryland Wall all singled with one out. A Mason Trocke double cleared the bases, and WSU scored two more courtesy of a Beyer single after a CSP error and walk.

Concordia St. Paul spoiled the shutout with one run in the fourth and another in the fifth, but the Warrior pitching trio of Banaszynski, Zach Watzka and Nevin Wall held CSP to six hits, two runs, while striking out seven batters in the 15-2 win.

Hawksford has now hit safely in eleven straight games, while Kapanke, Baumgartner and Beyer all added to their home run total. Brinkman and Trocke joined Hawksford with doubles on the day, as WSU collected 11 total hits, scoring 15 runs and were flawless in the field. CSP scored two runs on six hits and committed one error.

Winona State (16-21 / 14-12 NSIC) advances to the 2022 NSIC Baseball postseason, facing off against Minot State on May 11 at 12:30 p.m.  The Warriors and Beavers will play at FNBF at Aspen Park in Sioux Falls, S.D.  Complete 2022 NSIC Baseball Tournament information is available at this link.