Wayne State 8 Concordia-St. Paul 5
Nick Bidroski, Jarett Jackson and Treye Hacker each homered to lead Wayne State in an 8-5 rain-shortened win over Concordia-St. Paul in Northern Sun Conference baseball played Friday afternoon in St. Paul, Minnesota. The game was delayed in the fifth inning for 1:29 due to a lightning delay and later resumed until rain and poor field conditions caused the game to be called in the top of the eighth inning with the 8-5 lead. The second game of the doubleheader was cancelled and will not be made up. WSC is now 12-13 overall and 8-3 in the NSIC while the host Golden Bears fall to 9-19 on the season and 1-6 in league play.
WSC opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning when Justin Beranek reached on a fielder's choice and socred on Nick Bidroski's two-run homer to center field to give the 'Cats a 2-0 advantage. Treye Hacker led off the second inning with a solo blast to right center field, putting WSC in front 3-0. After Concordia-St. Paul scored twice in the bottom of the third to pull within one at 3-2, WSC erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth inning to take an 8-2 lead.
The big inning started when Brandon Polk singled and scored on Bidroski's sacrifice fly to center field for a 4-2 lead. Joe Wendte singled followed by a walk to Justin Beranek and both scored on John Plasha's double down the left field line for a 6-2 advantage. Plasha then scored on Jarett Jackson's third homer in a week, a two-run shot to right center field, increasing the Wildcat advantage to 8-2.
After a one hour, 29 minute lightning delay in the bottom of the fifth inning, play resumed and Concordia-St. Paul scored one run in the sixth and added two in the seventh inning to cut the Wildcat lead to 8-5. The game was then called in the top of the eighth inning after more rain developed causing poor field conditions with Wayne State winning 8-5.
WSC finished the game with 11 hits. Brandon Polk finished 3 for 3 with three singles and a run scored while Treye Hacker was 2 for 4 with a solo homer. Bidroski homered and had three RBI's while Jackson homered with two RBI's and Plasha doubled and had two runs batted in.
Senior starter John Snyder improved to 3-3 on the season earning the pitching win, striking out nine batters in six innings of work. He allowed three runs on nine hits with one walk. Reliever Michael Frericks worked the seventh inning and was charged with two runs on three hits with one strikeout.
Wayne State will return to action on Tuesday when the Wildcats host Augustana in a 1:00 p.m. Northern Sun Conference doubleheader at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.
