Sioux Falls, S.D. – A potent offense, led the Northern State University Wolves to a 7-6 victory over No. 6 Minnesota State in the losers' bracket of the NSIC/US Bank Baseball Tournament. Northern improves to 27-25 on the year after the hard fought victory.
 
Northern's bats came alive in the bottom of the first, as Jack Schmidt continued his hot streak. The Wolves right fielder doubled to right center scoring Riley Shintaffer for the teams second run of the inning. Shintaffer singled the previous at-bat, scoring Eric O'Bryan who led off the game with a walk.
 
Minnesota State answered back in the third with two runs of their own to take the 3-2 lead. Seniors Robert Fahlin, Alex Cornwell, and Buddy Traxler teamed up in the bottom half of the inning for two runs and the NSU lead. The two team's battled it out in the middle innings with each squad stealing the lead.
 
Heading into the seventh, the Mavericks were up 6-5. Clayton Nutting singled to third with one out, starting the Northern rally. Eric O'Bryan and Tyler Gripentrog notched back-to-back singles, capturing the lead for the Wolves. Gripentrog tallied the two RBI, scoring both Nutting and O'Bryan.
 
Eric O'Bryan led the Wolves offensively going a perfect 4-for-4 in the game. Fellow seniors Riley Shintaffer and Clayton Nutting, alongside Schmidt recorded two hit outings. As a team, Northern pulled together 14 hits and six earned runs.
 
Phil Sauer started on the hill, throwing six innings of play and giving up five earned runs. James Georgakas entered in relief throwing two scoreless inning of baseball, while giving up only one hit. Georgakas earned his fifth win of the season for the Wolves. The ninth was left to Marcus Manderbach who held the Maverick hitless for his fourth save this season.
 
Northern will face Minnesota Duluth, tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. from Ronken Field on the campus of Augustana College.