After dropping the opener 4-3, Wayne State roared back and used a nine-run fifth inning to take the second game 11-3 over Minnesota Duluth Saturday afternoon in Northern Sun Conference baseball played at Superior High School in Wisconsin. The ‘Cats win the series over the Bulldogs 3-1 and now own records of 20-8 overall and 15-3 in the NSIC while host Minnesota Duluth is 9-20 and 5-15 in the league.
The opener saw the host Bulldogs build a 4-1 lead, then hold back a Wildcat rally, for a 4-3 victory.
WSC took a 1-0 lead in the third when Braden Cannon singled and scored on Carter Thomas single.
UMD scored three runs in the third and another in the fourth to grab a 4-1 advantage on the ‘Cats.
Wayne State battled back with a pair of runs in the sixth. Thomas reached on an error and scored on a Chase Douglas double for the first run. Douglas later scored on a Quinn McCafferty single to make the score 4-3.
The ‘Cats got two runners on with just one out in the seventh on a walk to Alex Calabrese and single by Cannon, but UMD got the next two outs to end the threat and hang on for the 4-3 win.
Wayne State had six hits in the contest. Cannon was 2 for 3 with two singles. Douglas had a double while Thomas, Colin Lynam and McCafferty each singled.
Starter Nathan Anderson (2-1) suffered the pitching loss in five innings of work, allowing four runs with four strikeouts. Freshman Kyler Hanson pitched the final inning and had one walk and one strikeout.
The second game saw the Wildcats score nine runs in the fifth inning on just three hits using seven walks and a hit batter for the big inning as WSC earned a split with an 11-3 win.
WSC scored two runs to open the game in the first inning. Trey Wells had an RBI single while Alex Calabrese had a bases-loaded walk for the other Wildcat run.
Minnesota Duluth used single runs in the first and second innings to tie the score at 2-2.
The score remained knotted until Wayne State’s big fifth inning. Kaden Young had an RBI double, the only extra base hit of the game for WSC, along with RBI singles from Calabrese and Douglas. The remainder of the runs were scored thanks to seven walks and a hit batter by Minnesota Duluth pitching.
The Bulldogs scored the final run of the game in the fifth inning for the 11-3 final score.
Wayne State had 10 hits in the win. McCafferty was 2 for 2 with a pair of singles. Cade Lynam and Douglas each had two singles while Young had a double and two RBI.
Starter Kolt Davis (3-1) worked five innings to get the win. Jacob Kneifl pitched the next three innings with Kadyn Van Hill on the mound for the final inning.
The Wildcats will be at home Wednesday afternoon hosting Southwest Minnesota State in a mid-week NSIC doubleheader beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.
