Bismarck N.D. – The Northern State University baseball team split with the University of Mary on Saturday afternoon, losing 8-5 and winning 10-2. The Wolves are now 16-18 overall in 2017 and 9-13 in league action with three weeks of the regular season to play.
The Wolves scored first in the Saturday opener as
Ben Allen led off the second with a single to left field. Allen came around to score off an
Easton Lopez single to left just two at-bats later. U-Mary answered in the bottom half of the frame with four runs and the lead. Northern however wasn't finished as they tallied four runs off three hits in the top of the third. The 5-4 lead held through the fourth innings, but the Marauders tied things up in the fifth and took the lead in the sixth off a three run bomb to left.
Louie Carlos started on the mound for the Wolves throwing 4.0 innings with four runs, eight hits, and four strikeouts.
Nate Zeise and
Andrew Nichols entered in relief, with Nichols dropping his first loss of the season, giving up the homerun in the sixth.
Allen led the NSU offense going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Mikey Barreneche and
Easton Lopez each notched a single, while
Ben Carolin tallied a triple and
Seth Sullwold connected for his first homerun of the season. Sullwold led the team with two RBI in the loss.
Long ball was the name of the game in the night cap as the Wolves tallied three homeruns from
Jack Schmidt,
Lucas Lorenz, and
Ashton Williamson. The two teams were tied 1-1 through the first three innings however the Wolves captured the lead in the top of the fourth and held on for the final five innings of play adding runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth.
Williamson and
Tyler Gripentrog led the team going 2-for-4. Williamson added a run scored and three RBI, while Gripentrog notched a run scored and one RBI.
Mikey Barreneche and
Seth Sullwold tallied doubles, while
Mike Severson and
Easton Lopez notched the final two hits for the team. Sullwold also recorded three RBI in the win to lead the team.
Nick Hoffard started for the Wolves throwing eight complete innings in his fourth win of the season. The senior gave just one earned run on three hits and struck out three in the game.
Kris Johnson entered to throw the ninth, keeping the Marauders off the base paths with three ground outs.
The Wolves return to action this Wednesday on the road at Minnesota State. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. between the Wolves and the Mavericks. Northern will then return home for the weekend series against Wayne State beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
