The Wayne State baseball team extended their winning streak to seven games Friday afternoon with a Northern Sun Conference sweep at Minnesota Duluth by scores of 6-0 and 4-3 at Wade Stadium in Duluth, Minnesota. The ‘Cats are now 19-7 on the season and 14-2 in the NSIC while UMD drops to 8-19 and 4-14 in league play.
The opener saw Wildcat lefthander Corbin Kirk fire a second straight complete game, this one a four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts, to pace Wayne State in a 6-0 win.
WSC scored twice in the third thanks to RBI singles from Quinn McCafferty and Kaden Young for a 2-0 lead.
The ‘Cats extended the advantage to 4-0 in the fifth with two more runs, another RBI single by Wells, and a sacrifice fly from McCafferty.
Wayne State added two runs in the sixth to close the scoring as two runs scored on a Chase Douglas sacrifice fly to give the ‘Cats a 6-0 win.
Wayne State had 12 hits in the win. Carter Thomas had the lone extra base hit for WSC, a double, going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. Douglas went 2 for 2 with a pair of RBI while designated hitter Alex Calabrese was 2 for 4.
Kirk improved to 3-1 on the season with his second straight complete game gem, fanning seven batters without a walk and allowing just four hits.
The second game saw the Wildcats hold off a ninth inning Minnesota Duluth rally as WSC posted a 4-3 win.
Wayne State came up with three runs in the third for a 3-0 lead. The ‘Cats took advantage of a pair of walks and a hit batter as Wells delivered a two-run single to go with a leadoff double by Thomas for Wildcat hits in the inning.
The ‘Cats took a 4-0 lead in the fifth as Braden Cannon doubled and scored on a Colin Lynam single.
UMD responded with one run in the fifth, making the score 4-1.
The score stayed 4-1 until the ninth when UMD rallied and scored two runs, but Wildcat closer Braden Cannon got out of a jam with runners at first and third and got a strike out to end the game giving WSC a 4-3 win.
UMD held a 10-8 edge in hits over the ‘Cats. Thomas was 3 for 3 with a double and two runs scored. Wells finished 2 for 5 with two RBI while Cannon and Calabrese each doubled.
Junior Jackson Shelburne worked the first four innings of the game, getting relief help from Jacob Kneifl and Josh Kilzer. Cannon worked the ninth to earn the save, his fourth of the season that ties him with Curtis Bussard (2013-16) at 14 saves for the all-time lead at Wayne State.
The two teams met again Saturday in a doubleheader scheduled for 12 p.m. at Superior High School in Superior, Wisconsin.
