WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University baseball team took on Northern State University in a site-reversed series at WSU, as weather and field conditions in Aberdeen, South Dakota led to a change in host venue.
Playing as the visiting team in the home ballpark had little effect on Winona State, as the Warriors delivered first-year head coach
Seth Wing's inaugural home victory in Loughrey Field.
Justin Firpo threw a complete-game victory in the opener, limiting Northern State to a single fourth-inning run and received some timely offensive support to claim the 2-1 win. Game two saw the WSU offense outlast NSU in a 10-6 victory that moved Winona State to 5-2 in NSIC action.
Winona State 2, Northern State 1
Justin Firpo struck out eight Wolves and conceded just a solo home run in the fifth inning to earn a complete-game victory in a tremendous home-opening performance in front of nearly 300 fans. The reliever-turned-starter senior from was solid on the mound from start to finish. Firpo did not allow a hit in his final two innings, out-dueling Northern State's starter Max Otto who held WSU to just three hits in the game.
Cooper Kapanke hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, his second home run of the year, and
Ryland Wall drove in
Steele Beatty moments later to cap a two-run fourth frame. Thanks to Firpo's fine form, the pair of runs were all that WSU would need to claim the opener.
Dane Weiland helped Winona State defensively with a key play in the bottom of the third, throwing out a would-be Wolves base stealer following an NSU strikeout, registering a key double play to end the inning. The win in game one snapped a three-game skid versus the Wolves.
Winona State 10, Northern State 6
Winona State jumped out to an early lead and
Bailey Banaszynski held Northern State scoreless through four innings as WSU captured the back end of the NSU doubleheader, reaching double digits in runs for the third time this season.
A three-run first inning saw the Warriors get on their front foot early on and trio of scores in the third frame gave WSU a comfortable 6-0 lead midway through the game. However, NSU would claw back with one run in the bottom of the fifth and four more in the seventh to close the gap in the late stages of the contest. A clutch two-run double in the ninth inning from
Dane Weiland moved WSU to 10-5 advantage, scoring
Nick Herbst and
Cooper Kapanke.
Carter Brinkman blasted a two-run homer in the third to set the tone in the contest. Warrior teammate
Derek Baumgartner added two doubles to Weiland's extra-base effort. WSU took advantage on the base paths, stealing three bags along the way.
Banasyznski went five innings, allowing just one run while striking out eight. Winona State saw relief appearances by
Kyle Gendron and
John Breske in the middle innings of the contest, before
Nevin Wall came on to shut the door, throwing the final two frames. Wall struck out two and did not allow a walk to claim the save, his second of the year. Banasyznski claimed the win on the day, his first of the year.
Winona State improved to 9-13 on the year and 5-2 in NSIC play. Northern State fell to 5-13 overall, 0-7 in league action.
The two teams will face off in the third and final contest tomorrow, Monday, March 27. First pitch is set for noon in the cozy confines of Loughrey Field.
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www.WINONASTATEWARRIORS.com and
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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.
