ABERDEEN, S.D. – Despite dropping a 2-0 decision in the series opener, the Northern State Wolves bounced back in Game 2 using eight hits and four Winona State errors to salvage an 8-7 win and a split on the day, the first of a 2-day, 4-game weekend series with the Warriors in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball action.
 
The split, NSU's second straight, moves the Wolves to 10-15 overall and 5-7 in league action.  WSU, which advanced to the NCAA finals a season ago, is now 14-11 overall and 5-7 in the loop.
 
Northern State found itself unable to take advantage of another strong outing from starter Clint Manzo, who went seven complete innings allowing two runs on six hits.  The Warriors capitalized on a pair of one-run innings, those coming in the fourth and seventh stanzas, but relied heavily on their starter Kodey Simon, whose three-hit performance kept the NSU line-up off balance.
 
Zach Miller, Brent Lawrence and Jose Figueroa each picked up a hit in the opener, all three of which were singles. 
 
The Wolves bounced back in Game 2, using a 7-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh to overcome a 5-1 deficit.  NSU sent 12 men to the plate in that inning, coming away with two walks, three hit batsmen, three singles and a bases-clearing double off the bat of Robbie Rocamora.  Lawrence was hit by a pitch twice, while Max Myers drew a bases-loaded RBI walk and the Wolves went from down four runs to up three.
 
The Warriors tried to rally in the top of the eighth, cutting the score to a 1-run affair using an RBI groundout and a run-scoring double.  Reliever Zach Miller worked out of the jam, however to keep it to an 8-7 contest in favor of the Wolves.
 
Rocamora then moved from third base to the mound in the top of the ninth, retiring the Warriors in order to pick up his second save of the season.
 
Clayton Nutting picked up his first career victory in relief, throwing two complete innings for the Wolves, allowing one run on a hit, two walks and a strikeout in his fourth appearance of the season.
 
Offensively, Miller and second baseman Cameron Lehner each had two-hit efforts at the plate.  Figueroa knocked out a double, while Casey Bohms and Jack Thompson both had run-scoring singles as part of the Wolves' sixth inning outburst.
 
The two teams will be back at it tomorrow, closing out the series with another NSIC doubleheader.  First pitch is slated for noon at Fossum Field.