Edmond, Okla. – The Northern State baseball team was unable to complete the comeback on Sunday night, falling in the season opener to Emporia State 12-6. After falling behind 11-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Wolves out-scored the Hornets 6-1 in the final five innings of play.
 
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 6, ESU 12
Records: NSU 0-1, ESU 1-0
Attendance: 75
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Emporia State scored the first 11 runs of the game, scoring three in the first inning, two in the second, and six in the fourth
• The Northern State offense broke through in the in the fifth inning when Karson Hesser doubled into right field, scoring Austin Portner from second
• After the Hornets added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wolves bats continued to heat up in the sixth when Reece Ragatz hit a homerun to right field; Spencer Sarringar scored on a sac fly by Portner later in the inning
• Northern tacked on three more runs in the ninth inning, Hesser and Zachary Lanier scored on a Ragatz double down the right field line; Ragatz would also score on a wild pitch
• Andrew Pugliano pitched a team high 4.2 innings after entering the game in the bottom of the fourth inning; after allowing two runs (one earned run), he pitched three scoreless innings and struck out five batters

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Reece Ragatz: 2-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 2B, HR
Karson Hesser: 2-for-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2B
Andrew Pugliano: 4.2 IP, 6 hits, 5 strikeouts
 
UP NEXT
Northern State continues play in the Edmond First Pitch Classic tomorrow when they take on the hosts of Central Oklahoma. First pitch between the Wolves and Bronchos are scheduled for 6 p.m. tomorrow night.