Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Wayne State Wildcats narrowly escaped with a pair of tight victories, sweeping the host Northern State Wolves 5-2 and 5-4 on Day 1 of a two-day, four-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball series, which began under ideal weather conditions Saturday at Fossum Field.
 
WSC used the wins to move to 20-12 overall and 11-7 in league play.  The Wolves, fresh off a pair of non-conference wins on Wednesday, slipped to 12-19 overall and 5-11 in the loop.
 
The Wildcats took advantage of a key defensive miscue to score three unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning in Game 1 to extend their lead to 5-0.
 
The Wolves rallied back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs off reliever Trevor Reeves.  Jack Thompson and Brent Lawrence led off the inning with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, respectively.  Thompson scored on Max Myers' RBI ground ball, while Lawrence came around to score on successive wild pitches from Reeves.  Robbie Rocamora then drew a 2-out walk to make it a first-and-third situation, bringing the tying run to the plate, but Reeves was able to work his way out of the jam with a strike-out.
 
Kris Keating worked a perfect eighth inning for Northern State, but Reeves worked around a lead-off error with three straight fly-ball outs to the outfield to secure the win for the Wildcats.
 
Sean Winslow was tagged with the loss for the Wolves, allowing two runs in three innings pitched.  Tom Doran picked up the win – his third – for Wayne State.
 
The Wolves turned the tables in Game 2, jumping out to an early 2-0 lead with a run in each of the second and third innings.  John Feist, who reached and advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop with two outs in the inning, moved up to third on a wild pitch and scored on Eric Paulson's infield single.
 
NSU again put together a 2-out rally in the third beginning with a single from Zach Miller, who also made some big defensive plays in right field, including robbing WSC's Mike Bisenius of a home run.  Max Myers followed with a loud double and Robert Fahlin singled home Miller from third to make it a 2-0 game.
 
The Wildcats answered with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings before taking the lead with a pair of solo homers in the top of the sixth.
 
NSU responded almost immediately in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game on an RBI single from Cameron Lehner and a wild pitch from reliever Taylor MacDonell that allowed Jack Thompson to score from third.
 
MacDonell worked his way out of the jam, however, sending the game to the seventh knotted up at four runs apiece.  That's where the score remained until the top of the eighth when the Wildcats pushed the go-ahead run across with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brett Keim.  That play scored Travis Parsons, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, giving the Wildcats the 5-4 lead.
 
The Wolves could not take advantage of a one-out hit in the eighth before going down in order in the ninth, allowing Wayne State to escape with the win.
 
Trent Bestland was tagged with the loss for the Wolves after being charged with the go-ahead run in the seventh.  Jerad Barth picked up the win for the Wildcats, throwing three innings of one-hit ball in his second appearance of the day.
 
The two teams will face off in another double-header tomorrow afternoon to finish out the series.  First pitch is slated for noon at Fossum Field.