WINONA, Minn. – Winona State baseball earned a split with league-leading and No. 16 nationally ranked Minnesota State in today's doubleheader, highlighted by an extra-inning walk-off home run by Dylan Harer in game one.
Game One: WSU (7) – MSU (6)
Minnesota State struck first with two runs in the top of the first. The Warriors tied the game 2-2 after Connor Weed smoked a two-RBI double in the bottom of the third, scoring Josh Hatano and Connor Greuel.
The Mavericks took advantage of a WSU error in the fifth to retake the lead at 3-2. After a Max Pederson double, Easton Arendt tied the game back up 3-3 when he singled to left in the bottom of the sixth.
MSU gained a 4-3 edge after a fielder's choice in the seventh inning. Weed hit a one-out double down the left field line in the bottom of the seventh. With two strikes and two outs, Arendt tied it 4-4 after a single to left, scoring Weed.
Logan LaPlante pitched a scoreless inning frame for the Warriors in the eighth inning. Payton Kohnle was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the eighth. After a strikeout, Hatano singled to right, putting runners on first and second with one osout. A fielders choice moved Kohnle to third with two outs. WSU was unable to score, sending the game to the ninth.
Carson Jones pitched an effective ninth inning to keep the game 4-4, but the Warriors were unable to capitalize in the bottom of the ninth. The Mavericks scored a pair in the tenth to put WSU on their heals. In the bottom of the tenth, Ben Hefel singled up the middle and Kohnle walked to put two runners on with no outs. After a pair of strikeouts, Harer pulled the first pitch over the right field fence for a three-run walk-off home run to give Winona State the 7-6 win.
Hatano tallied three hits while Weed and Arendt each collected a pair. Harer's only hit came in the biggest moment as he led WSU with three RBI. Nathan Vela started on the mound for the Warriors, going 4.0 innings and allowing three runs on four hits. Jones picked up his second career win after pitching the final two innings
Game Two: MSU (11) – WSU (8)
Minnesota State put a tally on the board in the top of the first, but the Warriors bounced back for a three-run second inning to take an early 3-1 lead. The Mavericks tied it up with two runs in the third then added five in the fourth to go ahead 8-3.
Hatano hit a two-run shot in the fourth, then Ethan Patterson drove in Weed to bring the Warriors within a pair of runs. Each team scored a run in the sixth, then Winona State came within one after Boone Kirst scored a run in the sixth.
MSU hit a two-run homer in the seventh to add a pair of insurance runs and the Warriors were unable to make anything happen in the bottom half to take the 11-8 defeat.
Four Warriors notched multi-hit games as WSU scattered 12 hits in the game. Patterson and Hatano led Winona State with three RBI each. Eli Babler suffered the loss after pitching 1.2 innings in relief.
Winona State (21-20, 16-12 NSIC) hits the road for a crucial three-game series with Minnesota Crookston, starting on Saturday, April 25. First pitch on Saturday is slated for 1:30pm.
