Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

BISMARCK, N.D. – The Northern State baseball squad got the short end of a pitcher's duel in Game 1, but bounced back offensively in Game 2 to earn a split on the day with the host U-Mary Marauders in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.  NSU fell 2-0 in the opener, but claimed a 10-5 win in the nightcap.
 
The Wolves move to 9-14 on the season and 4-6 in the loop, having won four of their last six games – all NSIC contests.  U-Mary slipped to 3-21 overall and 2-8 in conference action.
 
Game 1 featured a pitcher's duel through five and a half innings, as starters Nathan Nietfeld (NSU) and Kyal Williams (U-Mary) combined to allow just eight hits through that stretch.  Nietfeld, fresh off his second win of the season last weekend, gave up just three of those, while the Northern offense rapped out five hits, but neither team was able to plate any runs.
 
The Marauders broke up the stalemate in their half of the sixth when Nietfeld was called for a balk.  That call scored the go-ahead run for the Marauders and moved the insurance run into scoring position.  A fly-out later, U-Mary's James Carroll delivered a double that made it a 2-0 contest. 
 
The Wolves were unable to take advantage of a lead-off walk from Jose Figueroa in the top of the seventh, allowing the Marauders to escape with the narrow win.
 
Nietfeld absorbed the loss for the Wolves despite allowing just six hits in the complete game outing.
 
NSU opened up a sizable lead through the first five innings of Game 2, scoring three runs in the second and two runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a 9-1 lead.  The Wolves tacked on a tenth run in the seventh and held that lead going into the ninth and final inning.
 
U-Mary made a late run at the Wolves in the bottom of the ninth, closing to within five runs with a 4-run rally.  Clayton Nutting, however, induced two game-ending fly ball outs to keep the Wolves in the win column.
 
NSU senior Zach Miller drilled his second home run of the season in the fourth inning.  Miller's shot was a 2-run homer to left that drove in Jesse Gonzalez, who had led off the inning with a walk.  Miller ended the game going 3-for-5 with one run scored and five RBI.  Gonzalez, Max Myers and Robbie Rocamora also had two-hit efforts at the plate.
 
NSU's Kris Keating picked up his second win of the season, coming on in relief for three and a third innings, striking out four and allowing just one hit in his seventh appearance of the season.  Starter Sean Winslow struck out five batters in his fifth start of the year, allowing one run on five hits before being lifted in the fourth.
 
The Wolves return home to host Winona State in another 4-game NSIC weekend series beginning Friday at noon.  Saturday's action is also slated for a noon start at Fossum Field.