Tucson, Ariz. – In their final game from spring training, the Northern State University baseball team defeated Minot State 12-8. The Wolves return home with a 7-5 record overall heading into the NSIC regular season opener.
 
The Wolves led the entire game, scoring first with four runs in the bottom of the first. Tyler Gripentrog and Kolin Kubitz opened things for the Wolves, each reaching base on an error by the Beaver defense. The pair came around to score on a double steal with one out to but the Wolves on the board. Matt Stubbs and Lucas Lorenz followed with a double to center and a hit by pitch. Ben Allen started his solid day at the plate with a bases clearing double to left center.
 
Northern added another run in the third as well as four in the fourth, led off by a Jack Schmidt walk. Stubbs and Lorenz followed with back-to-back homeruns and the Wolves were up 8-2. Northern tacked on their final run of the inning on a bases loaded walk to Tyler Gripentrog, scoring Ben Allen who reach base with a ground rule double.
 
Lucas Lorenz led the team with three hits, all of which were extra base, two RBI, and four runs scored. Lorenz combined for two homeruns, a double, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. Ben Allen also knocked out three hits, adding one run scored and a team leading three runs batted in. Matt Stubbs bounced back from a hitless game yesterday, with two hits, one of which was his sixth homerun of the season, two runs scored and two RBI.
 
Adding to the NSU offense were Kolin Kubitz, Jack Schmidt, Zach Beatty, and Easton Lopez with a hit apiece. The Wolves pounded out 12 hits and 12 runs scored, and were picky at the plate with nine walks. Nine of the team's 12 hits were for extra bases with six doubles and three homeruns.
 
Ace Colton Boucher earned his second win of the season throwing six complete. The senior gave up just two earned runs on two hits, and struck out eight. Boucher currently leads the team with 23 strikeouts in three outings. Nick Hoffard and Dillon Lee combined for three innings of relief work. Hoffard tallied one strikeout, while Lee threw a scoreless ninth inning.
 
Up next for the Wolves is the NSIC opener at Southwest Minnesota State next Friday and Saturday. Northern will open the 2016 home season versus Bemidji State on Wednesday April 6 from Fossum Field.