Minot, N.D. – The Northern State baseball team was unable to avoid the series sweep at Corbett Field in Minot on Sunday afternoon, as the Wolves dropped the series finale by a score of 8-3 to Minot State. A 5-run fifth inning for the Beavers proved to be the difference in the contest as Minot was able to stretch out the inning with timely infield hits.
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THE QUICK DETAILS
Final Score: NSU 3, MINOT 8
Records: NSU 10-20 (5-14 NSIC), MINOT 22-11 (13-8 NSIC)
Attendance: 137
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HOW IT HAPPENED
- A 2-run homerun to left field in the bottom of the second inning opened the scoring in the series finale as Minot State took an early 2-0 lead
- Northern State got a run back in the top of the fourth inning as Reece Ragatz opened the frame with a leadoff double to right field, and would cross home plate on an RBI single to center field by Niko Pezonella to make it a 2-1 ball game
- After a leadoff triple in the bottom of the fourth, the Beavers pushed one run across on a sacrifice fly out to center field and made it a 2-run lead again
- A 5-run bottom of the fifth extended the Minot lead to 8-1 as an RBI double to center field scored two runs and later in the inning a homerun over the left field fence scored three runs
- Northern added a pair of runs late in the contest to try and spark a rally but was never able to threaten the Beavers lead; in the top of the seventh Ragatz drew a hit by pitch with the bases loaded to allow Austin Portner to reach home plate, and in the top of the eighth Pezonella sent a solo homerun over the center field fence to cut the deficit to 8-3
- Max Otto (0-6) suffered the loss on the mound in his eighth start of the season, pitching 7.1 innings with four scoreless frames as he struck out seven batters
- Northern State scored their three runs off nine hits and did not commit and error defensively
NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
Jack Paulson: 3-for-4, 1 double, 1 walk
Niko Pezonella: 2-for-3, 1 homerun, 1 walk, 2 RBI, 1 run scored
Jordan DeMarce: 2-for-4, 1 double
Max Otto: 7.1 innings pitched, 7 strikeouts
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UP NEXT
Northern State will next be in action next weekend as they travel to Minnesota Crookston for a 3-game NSIC series. The Wolves and Golden Eagles will open the series with a doubleheader at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The series will then conclude on Sunday at 12 p.m. at the Minnesota Crookston Baseball Field.
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