Aberdeen S.D. – The Northern State University baseball team picked up two wins against Minnesota Duluth by the score of 5-2 and 8-6. With the sweep the Wolves improve to 17-17 overall and 10-12 in NSIC play.
Minnesota Duluth started the scoring in game one pushing two runs across to take an early lead. In the bottom of the first,
Jack Schmidt hit a solo home run to left field to cut the lead in half. NSU took the lead in the third on a single by
Lucas Lorenz that scored Schmidt, later in the inning
Mikey Adams successfully bunted in
Dakota Stilson to take a 3-2 lead after three innings. Northern State scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two run batted in double by Stilson that scored
Hayden Hall and Schmidt to take game one 5-2.
Lorenz notched a perfect 2-for-2 in game one, while also driving in one run. Schmidt recorded two hits in three plate appearances scoring three times and driving in one run. Hall notched a multi-hit game with two hits and scored one run. Stilson notched a 1-for-3 performance in game one scoring once and tallying two runs batted in. Adams recorded one hit in two plate appearances driving in one run.
Thomas Sertic picked up his third win on the season throwing a complete game giving up two runs on four hits, walked two, and struck out six.
Northern State started the scoring in game two putting two runs on the board on a Stilson sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored
Ben Carolin, later in the inning
Justin Barreneche reached on an error that scored Schmidt to take an early 2-0 lead through one inning of play. Minnesota Duluth answered with three runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-3 lead. Northern State tied up the game at three on a run batted in single by Stilson the scored
Mike Severson. Wolves would answer with two in the third on an error that scored Barreneche and later on Kubitz scored on a wild pitch to take a two run lead through three innings. NSU tacked on one more run in the fifth inning on a run batted in single by Hall that scored Adams. The Wolves would add some insurance runs in the seventh inning on a wild pitch that scored Hall and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Schmidt that scored
Seth Sullwold to push the lead to 8-3. Minnesota Duluth would scratch two runs across in the eighth inning to cut the lead to 8-5. Duluth scored one run in the ninth inning and had the tying run at second base but
Brock Ragatz closed the door to record his second save of the season and complete the sweep.
Leading the charge for the Wolves was Hall notching two hits in four plate appearances scoring one run and driving in one run. Carolin recorded a multi-hit game in game two finishing with two hits and scored one run. Adams tallied a 2-for-4 performance in game two scoring one run. Stilson tallied one hit in four plate appearances and also drove in two runs. Schmidt notched a 1-for-4 performance in game two while scoring one run and recorded a run batted in. Kubitz recorded one hit in four plate appearances and also scored one run. Sullwold notched a pinch hit single in the seventh inning and scored later in the inning. Severson notched one hit in three plate appearances scoring one run in the win.
Colton Landreth started game two on the mound and threw 1.1 innings gave up three runs, on two hits, walked four, and struck out one.
Grant Farmer picked up his second win of the season pitching 4.2 innings, gave up zero runs, on four hits, walked one, and struck out three.
Nate Zeise pitched 2.0 innings of relief for the Wolves giving up two runs, on two hits, and notched one strikeout. Ragatz notched his second save of the season going 1.0 innings, giving up one run, on one hit, and recorded a strikeout.
Northern State will head to Winona State for the last weekend of the regular season on Friday and Saturday. First pitch for Friday is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 12 p.m. on Saturday against the Warriors.
