RALSTON, Neb. – The Winona State baseball team won the first game of today's twin bill 8-5 before losing a close 1-0 battle in game two.
Game One: WSU (8) – USF (5)
Winona State came out strong to start the game, putting up a four-spot in the first inning after a two-RBI single by
Boone Kirst scored
Adam Wall and
Max Strecker. A few batters later,
Max Pederson singled to center, scoring Kirst with
Connor Weed also crossing home after an error by the Cougars.
The Warriors grew their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third frame after Kirst plated Strecker with Wall coming around to score on an error on the same play. USF cut the Winona State advantage in half after scoring three runs in the bottom of the third, making it 6-3 Warriors through three complete.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the sixth when Strecker doubled, plating
Easton Arendt. In the next at-bat, Wall singled, scoring Strecker, expanding the WSU edge to 8-3. The Cougars gained two runs back in the bottom of the sixth frame, making it 8-5 Warriors.
Stellar pitching by
Eli Babler in the final three frames closed the door on the Cougars comeback, ending the game 8-5 WSU.
Wall led all batters with three hits with Kirst, Pederson, and Strecker each recording two hits in the win. Kirst added a team-best three RBIs in the contest.
Sawyer Hoffman (1-1) earned the win on the mound for the Warriors. He went 5.0 innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs while striking out seven batters.
Boyd Skelley tossed a perfect sixth inning with Babler shoving 3.0 scoreless innings, giving up only two hits, earning the save for the squad.
Game Two: USF (1) – WSU (0)
In a pitchers' duel during the backend of today's doubleheader, which was a nonconference game, both teams were scoreless through three innings. WSU threatened in the first, as
Hunter Guenther took a walk and
Adam Wall singled through the left side, but that was it and Winona State left both on base.
Sioux Falls got their first base runner of the game in the second inning, but a quick three outs by
Peyton Lee on the mound stranded the runner at third. Sioux Falls put the first tally on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth after the Cougars garnered a hit batter sandwiched by a pair of hits to bring a run across and take a 1-0 lead.
Dominic Borecky reached base in the fifth, then advanced to second and third after a passed ball and a wild pitch, but WSU was unable to bring him home as USF stranded two runners on base to get out of the jam. Neither team threatened the rest of the game and Sioux Falls hung on for the 1-0 win.
Wall and Borecky collected both Warrior hits while Sioux Falls scattered six hits throughout the ballgame. Lee got the start for WSU, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing one hit with a strikeout.
Ryan Buchta took the loss, going two innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out three.
Carson Jones also appeared on the mound, allowing two hits in the final pair of innings.
Winona State (6-11, 2-4 NSIC) are scheduled to square off against Bemidji State next weekend.
