Edmond, OK – With the momentum running high after a walk-off victory yesterday afternoon, the Northern State baseball team was unable to keep the Pittsburg State offense at bay, falling by a score of 7-4. The Wolves scored four early runs in the first inning, however the Gorillas scored seven unanswered, including three in the ninth inning to clinch the victory.
 
THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 4, PSU 7
Records: NSU 1-2, PSU 2-1
Attendance: 121
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Michael Chevalier stuck out the side in the top of the first inning and the Northern State bats grabbed the momentum immediately with four runs on four hits in the bottom half of the inning
• Jordan DeMarce started the bottom of the first with a leadoff single and moved over to second on a groundout, Jack Paulson gave the Wolves their second baserunner of the inning with a single through the left side of the infield the next at-bat; Kai Brisk brought DeMarce and Paulson home on a 2-RBI single up the middle to give NSU a 2-0 lead
• Later in the first Austin Portner reached base safely on a fielding error which allowed Mitchell Tolk and Brisk to score a pair of unearned runs and push the lead to 4-0 after one inning of play
• Chevalier struck out his fourth consecutive batter to start the second inning, however after a walk Connor Allen hit a ground-rule double to score Ryan Koval and plate the Gorillas first run of the game
• After four early hits the Northern bats went cold and a pair of 3-up, 3-down innings ensued while Pittsburg State chipped away the NSU lead and tied the game at four runs a piece in the top of the fourth inning
• Zach Carolin took the mound for the Wolves in the top of the fifth inning as the game became a pitcher's duel while Carolina pitched four scoreless innings; from the fifth inning through the eighth inning the two teams combined for only three hits
• PSU was able to score three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 7-4 lead, scoring one run on a balk and two on a throwing error to home plate; in the bottom of the ninth Niko Pezonella was able to reach first base safely and with no outs after a fielding error, however he was left stranded on base after a pair of strikeouts and a fly out to right field
• The Wolves scored their four runs off six hits, and committed one error defensively; Blake Ask entered the game in relief in the ninth inning and suffered the loss on the mound
• With both Paulson and Brisk recording hits against Pittsburg State, they each extended their hit streak to three games to open the 2023 season; Paulson also scored at least one run in all three games this weekend

 NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Mitchell Tolk: 2-for-4, 1 run scored
Kai Brisk: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 run scored
Michael Chevalier: 4.0 innings pitched, 6 hits allowed, 4 earned runs allowed, 8 strikeouts
Zach Carolin: 4.0 innings pitched, 2 hits allowed, 0 earned runs allowed, 1 strikeout
 
UP NEXT
The Northern State baseball team will be off for almost three weeks until they are back in action when they travel to Rockhurst in Kansas City, Missouri. The 4-game series between the Wolves and Hawks is scheduled to begin on Friday, February 24 with game one starting at 3 p.m. at Loyola Park Baseball Field. The two teams will then play a doubleheader on Saturday (February 25) afternoon before taking the field for game four on Sunday (February 26).