Saturday, May 2, 2009
Game 1 - #24 Wayne State 17 Minnesota, Crookston 7
Game 2 - #24 Wayne State 13 Minnesota, Crookston 1
#24 Wayne State moved one step closer to a sixth consecutive Northern Sun Conference regular season baseball title Saturday afternoon with 17-7 and 13-1 wins at Minnesota, Crookston. The Wildcats improve to 37-11 overall and 25-4 in NSIC play while Minnesota, Crookston slips to 7-40 overall and 3-27 in league play. The 25 conference wins ties the NSIC record set by Wayne State in 2007 for most wins in a season in conference play.
In the opener, Wayne State snapped a 5-5 tie in the fifth inning with six runs and added three more runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pull away for a 17-7 win. Four of Wayne State’s 14 hits in the game were home runs as Justin Hemauer, Alex Koch, John Plasha and Brandon Polk each connected on long balls for the Wildcats. Koch recorded an unusual line score for the Wildcats, going 1 for 1 with six RBI’s and one run scored as he hit a three-run homer in the first inning and then had three sacrifice flies to finish the day.
Nick Bidroski had a game-high three hits to lead WSC at the plate, including two doubles. Hemauer, Eric Bond and Joe Wendte each added two hits apiece for the Wildcats in the win. Senior starter Chad Moreland (7-2) earned his seventh straight win on the mound, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over four innings of work with five strikeouts and two walks. Jared Hegdahl and Jim Sake each saw action out of the bullpen with Hegdahl allowing just one hit with one walk over two innings while Sake yielded five hits and two runs in one inning work with two strikeouts.
The second game saw freshman Austen Wisroth work four scoreless innings of two-hit ball as the Wildcats cruised to a 13-1 win over the Golden Eagles. WSC scored two runs in the first, four in the second and seven in the third to take control of the game early, leading 13-0 after three innings.
Eric Bond, Joe Wendte and Treye Hacker homered for WSC with Wendte and Hacker recording back-to-back jacks to highlight the Wildcats’ seven-run third inning. Wendte finished the game 3 for 3 with three RBI’s and two runs scored to pace a balanced hitting attack for WSC. Justin Hemauer was 2 for 4 with three runs scored with Eric Bond going 2 for 3 at the plate with three RBI’s and three runs scored. Mike Bisenius also added two hits for the ‘Cats.
Wisroth (6-1) allowed just two hits and no runs in four innings of work with four strikeouts. Tyler Gutierrez worked two innings of relief, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout while Trenton Lee pitched the final inning, striking out three and walking one without a hit.
Wayne State will conclude the regular season with another NSIC doubleheader Sunday at Minnesota, Crookston starting at 12:00 p.m.