TUCSON, Ariz. – The Winona State baseball team lost to Macalester College 21-20.
After recording four runs in the top of the ninth inning, the Warriors increased the lead by six runs. In the last half inning of the contest, the Scots rallied back from down six runs to win on an RBI single.
Macalester College recorded the first runs of the contest on an RBI groundout from Josh Planko and a double from Aram Dombalagian. Answering back in the top of the second inning, Winona State tied it up at two with a single from
Payton Beyer and a groundout RBI from
Tyler Flis.
The Scots took the lead back in the bottom of the second inning, scoring seven runs on a triple from Raymond McCaskey and Niko Alexander, a sacrifice fly from Holden Peacock, and singles from Dombalagian and Jake Murakami. Much like the top of the second inning, the Warriors would answer back in the top of the third, scoring six runs of their own with a two-run home run from
Cole Fuecker, a wild pitch allowing
Alex Berreth to score, a triple from Beyer, and singles from
Ryland Wall and Fuecker in his second at-bat of the inning.
Winona State's defense, led by
Brayden Deering on the mound, held Macalester College scoreless in the bottom of the third inning. In their next at-bat, the Warriors tied the score at nine with an error from the first baseman, allowing
Easton Arendt to score. Repeating the defensive success of the third inning, WSU held MAC scoreless in the bottom of the fourth.
The Scots' bats would come alive in the following bottom inning, increasing the lead by two with a double from Tristan Jones. The Warriors tied it up and took the lead in the top of the seventh with a single from Fuecker, a walk with the bases loaded, and an error from the shortstop allowing
Garrett Hietpas to cross home plate. In the top of the eighth, WSU added another run to increase the lead by four on a single from Fuecker.
Macalester College rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning to bring the score within one run on an error allowing Planko to score, a single from Braden LaChapelle, and a sacrifice fly from Evan Kang. In Winona State's next at-bat in the top of the ninth, they added five runs to increase the lead to six on a single from R. Wall and
Boone Kirst, and triples from Beyer and
Ethan Patterson. With the last at-bats for the Scots coming in the bottom of the ninth, they were able to scrape together six runs to tie the contest. On a 1-2 count, Peacock singled to left field giving Macalester College the 21-20 victory over Winona State.
Drew Lingen got the start for the Warriors on the mound, pitching 1.2 innings, recording one strikeout, and allowing nine runs on nine hits. Arendt came in at the end of the contest and pitched 0.1 inning, allowing two runs on four hits, receiving the loss. WSU was led by a 6-6 outing at the plate from R. Wall.
Nick Strezo received the start for the Scots on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings, recording one strikeout, and allowing eight runs on eight hits. Tommy Ball came in at the end of the contest and pitched 1.0 inning, allowing one run on two hits, receiving the win. MAC was led by a 4-3 outing at the plate from Murakami.
Winona State is next in action on Tuesday, March 18th, when they face off against Augsburg University (MN) in their final contest of the Tucson Invitational. First pitch is set for 9:00am MST on field five at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz.
