Game 1: Wayne State 6 Upper Iowa 1
Game 2: Wayne State 3 Upper Iowa 1
Wayne State College swept Upper Iowa in a pair of non-conference baseball games played Thursday evening at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. The Wildcats won the first game 6-1 and completed the sweep with a 3-1 win over the Peacocks in the nightcap. WSC is now 2-2 on the young season while Upper Iowa is 0-2.
In the first game, sophomore Austen Wisroth pitched two-hit ball over six innings with seven strikeouts to lead the Wildcats in the 6-1 win. Junior righthander Josh Nelsen worked the seventh inning to preserve the win for WSC. Offensively, John Plasha was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI's while Sioux City East freshman Jerad Barth added a two-run triple.
Plasha's double to right center sparked the Wildcat's offense in the second inning. Plasha would advance to third on a throwing error that also allowed Jared Kraus to reach first base. Barth was up next and belted a triple down the left field line that scored Plasha and Kraus.
In the third inning Wayne State added to their lead as the inning started with Joe Wendte getting hit by a pitch and Nick Bidroski earning a walk. Treye Hacker then advanced the two on a sacrifice bunt. Plasha was up and with Wendte and Bidroski in scoring position Plasha laced a two run single to give WSC a 4-0 lead.
WSC continued to add to their lead in the fourth inning as once again the inning started with a Wayne State batter being hit as Brandon Polk was hit by the pitch. Wendte was up next and tripled to right center field scoring Polk. Bidroski then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Wendte and expanded the Wildcats lead to 6-0.
Upper Iowa managed to score a run in the top of the sixth inning as Nick Bergeman reached on a throwing error and advanced to third on the error, then scored after an error thrown by right fielder Mike Bisenius. But Wayne State would shut down the Peacocks from their as Nelsen pitched a perfect seventh inning.
The second game saw three different WSC pitchers hold Upper Iowa scoreless until the seventh inning while striking out a combined nine batters as the Wildcats completed the sweep with a 3-1 win. Treye Hacker belted a solo homer in the first inning while Fremont freshman Justin Beranek added an RBI single to highlight Wayne State's five hits in the game.
Wayne State started the scoring in the top of the first inning as Treye Hacker hit his and the Wildcats first homerun of the season to right center field. The solo homerun gave Wayne State a 1-0 lead that lasted until the fourth inning when WSC expanded their lead. Plasha once again sparked the offense ripping a single into center field. Freshman Justin Beranek followed Plasha up with an RBI double to left center field that scored Plasha. Taylor Welk advanced Beranek on a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Beranek would score on a wild pitch that would give Wayne State a 3-0 lead.
Upper Iowa fought back in the bottom of the seventh as Mikey Henrichs reached first base on a walk and would later advance to third base after an error. Rory Kolo's RBI single cut the Wildcats lead to 3-1, but Wayne State pitcher Eric Dye shut the door to earn his first save of the season.
On the mound, sophomore Tom Doran recorded the win with 4 1/3 innings of work, allowing five hits and no runs with three strikeouts. Redshirt freshman lefthander Tadd Johansen of Elkhorn pitched the next 1 2/3 innings, striking out three. Junior Eric Dye worked the seventh inning, allowing one run with three strikeouts to earn the save.
Wayne State is now 2-2 on the season and the Wildcats are next scheduled to play Winona State in a four-game series at the Metrodome in Minneapolis with doubleheaders set for Friday, February 26th at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday, February 27th at 7:30 a.m.
