Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Game 1 - St. Cloud State 2 #25 Wayne State 1

Game 2 - #25 Wayne State 9 St. Cloud State 1

           #25 Wayne State College maintatined a slim lead over Minnesota State for first place in the Northern Sun Conference baseball race Wednesday afternoon with a split at St. Cloud State.  The host Huskies won the first game 2-1 with Wayne State using a strong pitching performance by freshman lefthander Eric Schwieger to take the nightcap 9-1.  WSC is now 19-2 in the NSIC and 31-9 overall, one-half game ahead of Minnesota State (18-2) in the NSIC standings.  St. Cloud State is now 31-13 overall and 10-8 in the NSIC.

            In the first game, St. Cloud State scored both runs and had three of their four hits in the third inning to hang on for a 2-1 win over the Wildcats.  Trailing 2-0 entering the sixth inning, WSC scored its lone run of the game when Joe Wendte walked, advanced to third on a single by Treye Hacker and scored on Alex Koch's sacrifice fly to right field. 

            The Wildcats left seven runners on base compared to just one for SCSU and outhit the Huskies 5-4 in the loss.  Five different players recorded singles for WSC offensively.  They included Justin Hemauer, Hacker, Nick Bidroski, John Plasha and Brandon Polk. 

            Josh Voth (1-5) suffered another hard luck loss for the Wildcats, allowing just four hits and two runs in six innings of work with two strikeouts and no walks. 

            The second game saw freshman lefthander Eric Schwieger pitch two-hit ball over five innings and Justin Hemauer went 4 for 4 from the leadoff spot to lead the Wildcats in a 9-1 win to salvage a split of the NSIC series.

            Schwieger, a graduate of Grand Island High School, improved to 5-0 by holding the Huskies to two hits and one run over five innings.  Reliever Matt Meier was perfect in the final two innings, retiring all six batters while striking out one.

            Offensively, Hemauer was a perfect 4 for 4 at the plate with two singles, a double, homer and two RBI's with three runs scored.  Senior designated hitter Alex Koch was 3 for 3 with two RBI's as the two accounted for seven of Wayne State's 12 hits.  Brandon Polk was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a double.

            Wayne State will be at home this weekend for a key four-game NSIC series vs. Minnesota State.  The Mavericks are just one-half game behind WSC in the NSIC standings at 18-2 in the league and 25-11 overall. Doubleheaders are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex starting at noon each day.