SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Winona State University baseball team opened up Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play against Minot State University in Sioux Falls, S.D. with a neutral site series, battling the Beavers four times across March 8-10. Winona State dropped the opening three games of the NSIC weekend but saw a strong pitching performance from
Cameron Kramer propel the Warriors to their first league win of the year in the final contest on Sunday afternoon.
Winona State (4-10, 1-3 NSIC) took on Minot State (7-11, 4-4 NSIC) at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls and was the visiting team in all four contests. The four-game series was originally slated for Papillion, Neb., but warm temperatures and favorable field conditions saw the series moved to Sioux Falls.
Friday, March 8: Minot State 10, Winona State 6 | Winona State fell behind 9-3 after four frames, as the Beavers used a 7-run fourth inning to pull away from the Warriors. WSU had a brief 3-2 lead following the top of the fourth, thanks in part to a double by
Cole Fuecker and a triple from
Ben Hefel, with both Warriors claiming RBI on the extra-base hits. Down 10-4 heading into the eighth,
Mason Trocke and
Kyle Yu both drove in runs to attempt to spark a late-inning comeback but Beaver closer Cameron Bagshaw stifled a WSU rally.
Ryland Wall was 3-for-4 in the game.
Peyton Lee was tagged with the loss, as both
Sawyer Hoffman and
Chandler Schmidt saw time on the rubber.
Saturday, March 9: Minot State 7, Winona State 2 | WSU scored first in the 7-inning game one, with back-to-back singles from
Alex Berreth and
Jess Ondell staking Winona State an early 2-0 lead. After a scoreless second stanza, Minot State responded with a four-run third inning and added three more scores in the fifth. Following the fast first-inning start, the Warrior offense cooled and was held scoreless the rest of the way.
Drew Lingen took the loss for Winona State following three innings of work;
Peter Tveite took the hill for the remaining three frames, collecting five Beaver strikeouts in his time on the mound.
Saturday, March 9: Minot State 8, Winona State 6 | A four-run bottom of the first forced Winona State to play catch-up in game two on Saturday, as host Minot State took a 5-run lead into the sixth inning.
Cole Fuecker and
Alex Berreth added RBI in the sixth inning and WSU used a battle-back mindset in the seventh, scoring four runs to pull level at 6-6. However, Minot State scored twice in the bottom of the same frame, with a Beaver single making the most of a WSU miscue on a bunt early in the inning. The Warriors were unable to maintain a final frame fightback and the Beaver bullpen kept WSU at bay the rest of the way.
Pierce Gritzmaker had the start for the Warriors and was replaced by
Andrew Regner in the sixth, who took the loss.
Sunday, March 10: Winona State 12, Minot State 2 | Winona State found the winning formula on Sunday in the fourth game of the NSIC opener, with an inside-the-park home run paving the way for a Warrior win.
Alex Berreth hustled his way home with
Mason Trocke and
Cole Fuecker aboard in the top of the second, sending Winona State off to the races for the victory. Starting pitcher
Cameron Kramer was clutch over five and 2/3 innings, scatting seven Beaver hits and striking out four.
Cole Stanchina and
Logan LeTourneau both pitched effectively in relief as the Warrior staff held Minot State to just two runs.
Kyle Yu and
Ryland Wall joined Berreth with homers in the game, with Fuecker adding a triple as well.
Ben Hefel,
Josh Gullickson, and Trocke each stole a base for head coach
Seth Wing.
Winona State (3-7, 0-0 NSIC) will serve as the host for Northern State University (4-10, 1-3 NSIC) in another NSIC neutral-site four-game series beginning on Friday, March 15 and concluding on Sunday, March 17. The Warriors will look to tame the Wolves at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D.
