OZARK, Mo. - The Winona State University baseball team dropped a four-game weekend series on the road at Drury University to open up the 2023 Warrior campaign.
The host Panthers would prove to be a tough opening weekend foe for Winona State, with Drury winning all four games for the sweep.
Drury 10, Winona State 0
In their 2023 season opener, Winona State was slow to start offensively and saw Drury University deal the Warriors a 10-0 loss on Friday, Feb. 24 in the first of four games played between the two teams at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark, Mo.
Drury University scored on a double and a single in the first inning to put the Panthers in front early on. Drury would go on to add one run in the third inning and three more in the fifth en route to the shutout.
Offensively, WSU was led by
Cooper Kapanke,
Austin Beyer,
Dane Weiland, and
Nathan Osborne as each collected one hit for WSU.
Kyle Yu added a stolen base to the Warrior effort.
Cameron Kramer took the loss for Winona State, going 4 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on three hits and striking out one Panther.
Drury 11, Winona State 0
Winona State fell behind early and couldn't come back in an 11-0 loss to Drury University on Saturday, Feb. 25 in the opening game of a doubleheader against the Panthers.
Drury University scored on singles by Briar Stinson and Jeremiah Cabuyaban, and a double by Tyler Bastunas in the first inning to claim a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way.
After holding the host Panthers scoreless in the second inning, WSU would see Drury go on to add two runs in both the third and fourth frames, and three more in the bottom of the fifth for the 11-0 setback.
WSU struggled to contain the Drury offense, giving up 11 runs as
Peter Tveite took the loss for the Warriors. The right hander went 3 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs on 12 hits, striking out four without allowing a walk.
A
Jess Ondell single in the second inning was first of just two base hits the Warriors would muster, with
Mason Trocke also reaching base on a single.
Cade Waits was credited with the victory for Drury, as the left hander went six innings overall, allowing zero runs on two hits and striking out five. Cooper Munro went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Drury at the plate.
Drury 9, Winona State 2
After back-to-back shutouts suffered by Winona State, the Warriors were able to get off the schneid with a pair of runs in their third game at Drury University on Saturday, February 25, but the home side used a big first and seventh inning to pull away from WSU.
Cooper Kapanke opened the Winona State 2023 scoring account in impressive fashion, hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning to close the score to a 6-1 Panther advantage.
In the seventh, Kapanke crossed the plate again, this time thanks to a
Carter Brinkman single to right.
However, the Warriors would get no closer than the 6-2 margin following Brinkman's RBI and Drury would go on to score three more runs in the bottom of the seventh for the final 9-2 scoreline.
Kapanke would finish the game going 4-for-4, collecting a home run, double and pair of singles in the contest. Kapanke's hot streak was the first time a WSU player collected four hits in one game since
Nick Herbst went 4-for-6 against the University of Findlay on March 3, 2022.
Justin Firpo would take the loss for Winona State, going 3 2/3 innings before giving way to
Nevin Wall. As a staff, WSU would concede nine runs, six of which were earned, while striking out ten and walking eight.
Mason Meeks earned the win for the hosts, going six innings and scattering four WSU hits over that time. Drury was led offensively by Wes Collins, who was 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
Payton Beyer and
Carter Brinkman both claimed stolen bases in the game; Brinkman was also hit by a pitch.
Drury 10, Winona State 2
In their fourth and final contest at Drury University, Winona State was unable to derail the Panthers offense, falling 10-2
Winona State scored one run in the top of the second inning to tie the game 1-1, but Drury would go on to score five runs in the bottom of the same frame to pull away and claim the series sweep over the Warriors.
Cooper Kapanke would go 1-for-3 in the game, collecting his sixth base hit of the weekend, while
Dane Weiland,
Steele Beatty,
Joshua Hawksford and
Josh Gullickson each had one hit apiece.
Kyle Yu drew a pair of walks and notched an RBI in the leadoff spot for the Warriors.
Peyton Lee took the loss for Winona State, giving up nine runs – six earned – while striking out three. Overall, WSU used six pitchers in the contest, conceding 11 hits and walking four.
Drury's Tyler Bastunas went 3-for-4 at the plate and the Panthers' Jack Jones was credited with the win. Following the four-game stint, the Panthers moved to 8-2 overall on the year.
Winona State (0-4 overall, 0-0 NSIC) will return to action next weekend, traveling to the University of Missouri St. Louis for a four-game road trip. The Warriors and Tritons will open up the weekend series on Friday, March 3 at 1pm.
