Edmond, Okla. – The Northern State baseball team was on the wrong end of a back and forth battle that saw the lead change hands five different times, as the Wolves fell to Pittsburg State 12-7. The offense was on display for both teams, seeing a combined 25 hits and eight home runs between the two schools.
 
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 7, PSU 12
Records: NSU 1-2, PSU 2-1
Attendance: 119
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Brian Baker got the start on the mound for the Wolves, in doing so he stuck out the first two batters and went 3-up, 3-down in the first two innings of play
• Northern State plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning, when Niko Pezonella scored on a fielder's choice by Brandon Kusler
• Karson Hesser pushed the Northern lead to 2-0 in the third inning, sending a homerun out of right field
• Pittsburg State responded and tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, when Garrett McGowan hit a homerun into right center field, scoring Kaden Fowler as well
• The Gorillas took the lead for the first time in the top of the sixth inning, when Fowler scored on an infield line drive by McGowan; PSU tacked on one more run later in the inning on an error
• Northern State regained the lead in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Connor Knecht hit a 3-run home run to right center that scored Zachary Lanier and Austin Portner
• The two teams continued to trade leads in the seventh inning, in the top half of the inning Aranda Cruz hit a 2-run home run to left field and in the bottom half of the inning Pezonella hit his own 2-run home run to right center, leaving the Wolves with a one run lead
• Pittsburg State continued the offensive firepower in the eighth inning by adding two more home runs, a solo home run by McGowan to right field, followed by a 2-run home run by Trey McClelland to take a 9-7 lead
• PSU put the game out of reach in top of the ninth inning when McGowan singled into left field and scored Karson Coffee, followed by a 2-run home run by Brett Daley
• Northern State left two runners on base and in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings

 NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Brian Baker: 4.0 IP, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 4 strikeouts
Karson Hesser: 2-for-5, 1 home run, 1 run, 1 RBI
Niko Pezonella: 1-for-3, 1 home run, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2 walks
Connor Knecht: 1-for-1, 1 home run, 1 run, 3 RBI
 
UP NEXT
Northern State will continue the non-conference portion of their schedule against their fourth MIAA opponent, when they travel to face Washburn. The Wolves and Ichabods are scheduled for a 4-game series February 18-21.