Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

WINONA, Minn. – The Northern State University Wolves played one of the region's top ten teams to within three runs, including a tightly contested extra-innings affair to open the weekend series, but fell by final counts of 4-2 in ten innings and 1-0 in Monday's nightcap.  The series marks the start of the 2011 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference slate.

With the losses, the Wolves slipped to 2-8 overall and 0-2 in the loop, while the host Warriors – ranked tenth in the latest NCBWA poll released earlier Monday morning – moved to 7-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play.

NSU drew first blood in the opener, taking advantage of a key Warrior error to score an unearned run in the top of the third inning.  The Warriors bounced back with two runs in the bottom half of that inning, stringing together three hits, including a 2-out RBI single that scored the go-ahead run.

NSU senior Ronnie Sellers, however, re-tied the game with his first home run of the year in the top of the fourth, sending a 1-out shot over the right field fence.

That set up a scoreless deadlock that lasted five and a half innings before the Warriors pushed across the winning runs in the bottom of the tenth inning.  WSU's Adam Gemueden led off the inning and reached on an NSU fielding error.  After Derek Wojcik fouled out down the left field line, Cody Strang, who had come on as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and stayed in the game, belted a 2-run walk-off homer to give the Warriors the series-opening win.

Senior Michael Cross absorbed the loss in relief for the Wolves, while reliever Mike Wasilik picked up the win for the Warriors after throwing two innings without giving up a hit.

Game two turned out to be a pitcher's duel as NSU right-hander Trent Bestland went toe-to-toe with WSU's John Wenker for six full innings.  Bestland gave up just one run on back-to-back doubles in the first inning, but settled in for six innings on the mound, giving up just four hits and the one run while striking out seven.

Wenker, however, gave up just two hits and a walk in his six innings of work, striking out eight Wolves in the process.  Wojcik came on for the save in the seventh inning, giving up a 2-out single to Max Myers, but picking up a game-ending strikeout to preserve the win.

The two teams take the field tomorrow to close out the four-game set.  First pitch is set for noon at Loughrey Field.