MAUSTON, Wis. – The Winona State University baseball team picked up two come-from-behind victories to win their opening NSIC series over Minnesota Duluth.
The Warriors (6-12, 2-1 NSIC) were down to their final six outs in both ballgames before the bats came alive to provide WSU two conference wins this afternoon.
Game One: Winona State 7, Minnesota Duluth 3
Minnesota Duluth put a crooked number on the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the top of the second inning to take an early lead. The Bulldogs brought across another run in the third to bring the lead to 3-0.
The Warriors narrowed the UMD lead to 3-1 after a
Steele Beatty single down the right field line which brought
Cooper Kapanke across the plate.
Minnesota Duluth threatened in the top of the sixth with runners on second and third and just one out, but
Kyle Gendron was able to record a groundout and strikeout to get out of the jam.
The Warriors carried the momentum into the bottom half of the inning as they loaded the bases with zero outs. Two wild pitches allowed for two runs to come across home plate and tie the game at three apiece.
The Warrior offense didn't stop there, as
Joshua Hawksford hit a sacrifice fly,
Kyle Yu notched a two-RBI double, and
Derek Baumgartner singled to bring in the Warriors sixth run of the inning and give WSU a 7-3 lead. Gendron pitched a one-two-three seventh inning to give the Warriors a win in game one of the doubleheader.
Baumgartner and
Dane Weiland each recorded two hits while Yu led WSU with two RBIs.
Justin Firpo got the start, going five innings and allowing three runs on four hits. Gendron earned the win with his two-inning performance, allowing just one hit and striking out two batters.
Chad Fox started the game on the mound for the Bulldogs, allowing two runs on six hits in five innings pitched. Hayden Brown suffered the loss, facing two batters and giving up two runs without recording an out. Thomas Hanson led UMD with two hits and one RBI.
Game Two: Winona State 5, Minnesota Duluth 3
Minnesota Duluth struck early once again, scoring a run in the top half of the first inning to take the early lead. The lead didn't last long as Baumgartner single in the third brought
Mason Trocke across the plate to tie things up.
UMD added one more run in the fifth to earn the lead back. With scoreless sixth and seventh innings, the Bulldogs were primed to add on insurance runs in the top of the eighth with runners on first and second with no outs. A long fly ball to the gap in right center hit off the fence, but running miscues by the Bulldogs limited the play to just a single and no runs.
A sacrifice fly on the next at bat gave UMD a 3-1 lead with two down in the inning.
Ryland Wall halted the Minnesota Duluth rally, making a diving stop at third base and throwing the runner out at first from the ground to complete the highlight play and bring the Warriors to life heading into the bottom half of the eighth.
With six outs to play with, Winona State once again rallied. Back-to-back singles by Yu and Trocke put two runners on with no outs. A few batters later, Beatty singled to bring Yu across and keep the bases loaded.
Ryland Wall then hit a two-RBI single to give WSU a 4-3 lead.
Austin Beyer brought an insurance run across, and WSU was able to hang on to the win after pitchers
Cole Stanchina and
Drew Lingen teamed up in the ninth to record three outs.
Pierce Gritzmaker started on the mound, going 6.0 innings while allowing four hits and two runs.
John Breske earned the win after coming in relief in the eighth and pitching one inning. Lingen recorded the save, getting the final two outs of the game.
Trocke went 3-4 at the plate and scored two runs, while
Ryland Wall led WSU with two RBIs. Baumgartner picked up two more hits and an RBI as well.
Winona State will head back to the Woodside Sports Complex in Mauston, Wis. tomorrow, March 21, for an NSIC doubleheader against Minnesota Crookston. First pitch between the Warriors and Golden Eagles will be at 1 p.m. with the second game to follow.
For the most up to date news in Warrior Athletics, please visit:
www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
@WinonaStateATH.
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.
