Sioux City, Iowa – The Northern State baseball team split a pair of one run games with the University of Sioux Falls on Thursday afternoon. The Wolves dropped game one in extra innings by a score of 3-2 to the Cougars, however Northern was able to battle back and pick up a win in the second game of the day with another 3-2 result.
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THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score Game 1: NSU 2, USF 3 (8 innings)
Final Score Game 2: NSU 3, USF 2
Records: NSU 9-11 (4-3 NSIC), USF 14-11 (6-4 NSIC)
Attendance: 34
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HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
- Northern State scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning when Niko Pezonella drew a bases loaded walk, allowing Jack Paulson to cross home plate
- Sioux Falls took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the first, when Grant Lung hit a two RBI single to right field, scoring Connor King and Noah Christenson
- The Wolves tied the game at two in the second inning as Karson Hesser singled to center field and scored Austin Portner
- The Northern defense held strong in the bottom of the seventh, getting out of a bases loaded situation to get to extra innings
- In the bottom of the eighth Trey Hubers reached first base on an error, and Brady Klehr was able to score to win the game for the Cougars
- NSU scored their two runs on two hits and committed one error defensively
- Christian Mundt (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season on the mound for Northern State, he pitched 2.2 innings in relief for Seth Brewer who started the game
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS – GAME 1
Jack Paulson: 1-for-3, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 run
Karson Hesser: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 stolen base
Austin Portner: 1 walk, 1 run
Seth Brewer: 5.0 innings pitched, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 7 strikeouts
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
- Northern State once again was able to get on the scoreboard first in the top half of the first inning, when Spencer Sarringar hit a single to center field and scored Jack Paulson
- The Wolves were able to keep Sioux Falls off the scoreboard in the second inning, when Karson Hesser fielded a hit from Zach Andreasen in left field and was able to get the ball to Niko Pezonella in time to throw out Ben Serie at home plate
- NSU added another run in the top of the third inning when Sarringar hit another single to the shortstop and score Paulson
- In the fifth inning, Sarringar drove in his third run of the day with a double to center field and scored Kai Brisk
- USF battled back in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring two runs, however they ended the inning with runners left on second and third
- Northern State scored their three runs on eight hits and did not commit an error defensively
- Max Otto pitched his second consecutive complete game and earned his fifth win of the season on the mound
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS – GAME 2
Max Otto: win (5-1), 7.0 innings pitched, 8 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 strikeout
Jack Paulson: 3-for-4, 1 double, 2 runs
Spencer Sarringar: 3-for-4, 1 double, 3 RBI
Kai Brisk: 1-for-3, 1 walk, 1 run
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UP NEXT
Northern State will have this weekend off as they prepare for their home opener against Wayne State next Wednesday, April 6
th. The doubleheader between the Wolves and Wildcats is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m. with the second game to follow at 3:30 p.m. at Fossum Field.
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