Tucson, Ariz. – The Northern State University baseball team notched their first sweep of the season, defeating Briar Cliff 5-1 and 6-0 from Tucson. The Wolves improve to 3-1 overall and are on a 3-game win streak through the first three days of the Tucson Invite.
The Wolves scored in three innings in the game one win, as they defeated the Chargers 5-1.
Tyler Gripentrog doubled down the right field line, scoring
Ben Allen who was hit by a pitch in the second as the Wolves took the 1-0 lead. Northern added their second run of the game in the fourth, as
Lucas Lorenz reached on an error and was brought around to score by an Allen single to right. NSU added some insurance in the fifth with three runs scored by Gripentrog,
Mikey Barreneche, and
Kolin Kubitz. Briar Cliff notched a run in the sixth, however it was not enough to overcome the 5-run deficit.
Kubitz led the team in game one, going 2-for-2 with a run scored and a double. Gripentrog and Allen notched the final two team hits in the win, while the pair alongside
Jack Schmidt and
Lucas Lorenz tallied an RBI.
Rylan Shimer made his first start of the season throwing 5.2 innings with just two hits and one earned run. The junior faced 21 batters, with two walks given up and five strikeouts.
Nate Zeise and
Isaiah Greene entered in relief throwing two thirds of an inning each. Zeise tallied one strikeout, while Greene notched two.
The two teams were scoreless through the first five innings of play in game two, however it was all Northern in the sixth and seventh with six runs.
Jordan Malainey led off the sixth for the Wolves with a single through the right side.
Seth Sullwold followed with a double, scoring Kubitz who ran for Malainey which gave the Wolves the 1-run lead. Lorenz stepped to the plate and blasted his first homerun of the season, tacking on two more runs for the Wolves.
Easton Lopez tallied the final RBI of the inning, scoring
Ben Allen who singled with a bunt, on a single of his own to centerfield.
After getting out of a first and second jam in the bottom half of the inning, the Wolves headed to the top of the seventh with a 4-run lead. Barreneche and Lorenz both scored in the final inning of play, with Barreneche hitting home on a Lorenz double and Lorenz scoring on an error by the short stop.
Three Wolves tallied two hits each in the game two win, led by Lopez going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Sullwold and Lorenz each went 2-for-4, with Sullwold notching an RBI and run scored and Lorenz recording two runs scored and three RBI.
Ashton Williamson, Allen, Malainey, and Barreneche notched the team's final four hits in the win.
After earning a save just a day ago,
Luke Chevalier hit the mound for his first start of the season. Chevalier threw a 5-hit, complete game shutout in his first win of the season. The sophomore notched five strikeouts and gave up just one walk for the Wolves.
NSU returns to action tomorrow with an 11 a.m. (CT) match-up with Malone University.
