Game 1: St. Cloud State 6 Wayne State 5
Game 2: St. Cloud State 11 Wayne State 9
A pair of late inning rallies fell just short as the Wildcats dropped a pair of games against St. Cloud State Wednesday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne, America. The Huskies held off the Wildcats 6-5 in game one as Wayne State scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to pull within one. The Wildcats forced extra innings in game two, but WSC could not respond to the Huskies' two runs in the top of the ninth as the Wildcats fell 11-9. The wins make St.Cloud State 30-9 overall and 17-5 in the NSIC. The losses drop Wayne State to 20-17 overall and 15-6 in the conference.
The Huskies got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of game one. The Wildcats answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the second asTreye Hacker doubled down the left field line and later scored on a John Plasha single to tie the game at 1-1. Wayne State got their first lead of the game in the fifth inning when Brandon Polk hit a triple scoring Mike Bisenius and Joe Wendte grounded out to third scoring Polk to give WSC a 3-1 lead.
St. Cloud State took control from there scoring five runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The outburst was highlighted by back to back home runs in the sixth inning. Wayne State found themselves down 6-3 in the bottom of the ninth and started a comeback. Wendte started the rally with a double to left center. Justin Beranek added a double of his own scoring Wendte to cut the Husky lead to 6-4. Beranek scored on a double Nick Bidroski that almost went over the center field fence, but that was as close as Wayne State would get as the Wildcats fell 6-5.
Plasha and Bisenius were both 2 for 4 for WSC. Bidroski extended his hitting streak to 16 games as Bidroski went 1 for 5 with an RBI. John Snyder pitched six innings for the Wildcats giving up four runs and striking out four batters. Trevor Reeves (1-1) took the loss pitching one inning allowing two runs. Sam Rathbun pitched the final two innings as the senior did not allow a run or a hit in the two innings pitched.
The Huskies jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the first three innings of game two. The Wildcats got on the board in the fourth inning when Bisenius scored on an error on the SCSU first baseman cutting the Husky lead to 5-1. The Huskies added another run in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead.
Wayne State's offense came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Wildcats scored six runs. The inning was highlighted by six runs on seven hits. Bisenius hit a two run double in the inning and Wendte hit an RBI double to give Wayne State a 7-6 lead.
St. Cloud State scored three runs off of Wayne State's Josh Nelsen in the top of the seventh to take a 9-7 lead. The Wildcats clawed their way back into the game in the bottom of the seventh scoring two runs in the inning. The inning was highlighted by a single by Jarett Jackson that scored two runs to tie the game at 9-9.
In extra innings, the Huskies took advantage of a Wildcat error to score two runs in the top of the ninth. Wendte and Bidroski would get on base in the bottom of the inning, but the Huskies' Jordan Smith got out of the jam to earn the win as WSC fell 11-9.
Bisenius was 3 for 5 in game two with three RBI's and two runs scored. Wendte went 3 for 5 as well adding one RBI and two runs scored. Bidroski extended his hitting streak to 17 games going 2 for 4. Austen Wisroth got the start going three innings allowing three earned runs. Reid Lancaster went two innings allowing one run. Josh Nelsen pitched two innings allowing three runs. Michael Frericks (1-3) took the loss for WSC pitching two innings allowing no earned runs.
The Wildcats will head to Mankato, Minnesota this weekend to face Minnesota State in a pair of important NSIC doubleheaders. Action is set to start at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
