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Aberdeen, S.D. – The Northern State University baseball team split with Minnesota State in Thursday NSIC action to move to 15-18 overall and 8-12 in the league. The Wolves dropped game one with a score of 10-0, and came back for the 3-2 victory in game two.
Game 1
The Wolves struggled to get things going against the Mavericks in the first game of the day, with only four hits to MSU's 18. Northern starter
Colton Boucher suffered is fourth loss of the season throwing 4.1 innings for Northern.
Tyler Gripentrog,
Jack Schmidt,
Easton Lopez, and
Ashton Williamson connected for the team's four hits in the loss. Williamson's came in the top of the seventh, and was a pinch hit double to right field. Gripentrog also added a stolen base for the Wolves in the game.
Game 2
The Wolves looked to bounce back in game two, and scored first in the bottom half of the second inning.
Matt Stubbs led off the frame for the Wolves, crushing a double to left.
Lucas Lorenz quickly followed in the same fashion, with his own double to left, scoring Stubbs and putting the Wolves on the board.
Ben Allen squared to bunt on the next at-bat, laying down a well-placed ball to the MSU pitcher Bauer. Allen reached with a single, however Bauer's errant throw, scored Lorenz on the play.
Northern added their third and final run of the game in the fourth, off the bat of designated hitter
Ashton Williamson. The junior singled up the middle, scoring Lorenz who had double to left center to lead off the inning.
Minnesota battled back with two runs in the top of the eighth, however NSU relievers
Marcus Manderbach and
Luke Chevalier held the Mavericks scoreless to close out the game. Wolves' starter
Nick Hoffard threw a solid 7.1 innings for Northern, giving up just two earned runs on four hits and one strikeout. Manderbach entered to throw the remainder of the eighth, and one batter in the ninth. Redshirt freshman Chevalier tallied his second save of 2016, holding the Mavericks hitless in the ninth.
NSU pounded out eight teams hits, led by
Kolin Kubitz,
Matt Stubbs, and
Lucas Lorenz with two a piece in the game.
Ben Allen and
Ashton Williamson added the teams' final two hits.
Jack Schmidt added a stolen base for the Wolves, while Lorenz and Williamson tallied the Wolves two RBI.
The Wolves will return to action this weekend against No. 2 St. Cloud State. Game times are set for 1 p.m., on Saturday, and 12 p.m., on Sunday, from St. Cloud. NSU enters the weekend in ninth in the NSIC standings with just ten games remaining in the regular season.