Game 1 - Wayne State 1 Southwest Minnesota State 0
Game 2 - Wayne State 7 Southwest Minnesota State 6
The Wayne State College baseball team used a combined two-hit shutout in the first game and a two-run rally in the ninth inning to win the second game to complete a 1-0 and 7-6 sweep over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Conference baseball Saturday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne. With the two wins, the Wildcats extend their winning streak to 12 games in a row, moving to 24-16 overall and 17-9 in the NSIC, while Southwest Minnesota State drops to 10-24 on the season and 6-17 in league play.
In the opener, Braulio Acosta's RBI double in the second inning scored Nick Bidroski with the game's lone run while Tadd Johansen and Matt Meier combined on a two-hit shutout as the Wildcats posted a 1-0 win in the opener. Bidroski led off the Wildcat second inning reaching on an error by Southwest Minnesota State leftfielder Jordon Kontz and then scored on Acosta's two-out double down the left field line for an early 1-0 WSC lead. SMSU loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning with one out, but Wildcat starter Tadd Johansen got Mustang catcher Tyler Brinka to ground into a double play to get out of the inning. Senior Matt Meier then came on in the seventh inning and retired SMSU in order to preserve the 1-0 win.
Wayne State had just four hits in the game to two for SMSU. Acosta had the game's lone extra base hit, a double, while Pat Burkhart, Mike Bisenius and Slade Bolles each recorded singles for the Wildcats. Johansen won his third straight start, improving to 6-3 on the season, for WSC by working six strong innings. He allowed just two hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Meier recorded his first save of the season by throwing a perfect seventh inning.
The second game saw Wayne State rally for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning as Slade Bolles singled up the middle with one out to score Justin Beranek with the game-winning run as the Wildcats scored a thrilling 7-6 win over the Mustangs.
WSC took an early 3-0 lead after two innings, scoring twice in the first and one more in the second. Bolles had an RBI single for the lone hit in the first inning while Luke Farrar's single in the second scored Braulio Acosta, who walked, giving WSC the early advantage. But the visiting Mustangs scored one run in the fourth and four more in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-3 lead.
The Wildcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score at 5-5. Mike Bisenius belted a solo homer over the right field wall for the first run with the second run scoring on back to back doubles by Travis Parsons and Nick Bidroski. SMSU took the lead back in the top of the eighth with one run to go in front 6-5. WSC then rallied in the bottom of the ninth with two runs to notch the come-from-behind win.
Pat Burkhart opened with a single, then stole second and third base and scored on a Justin Beranek double to even the score at 6-6. Mike Bisenius was intentionally walked and Nick Bidroski walked to load the bases with one out. Bolles then bounced a pitch up the middle for the game-winning hit to score Beranek giving WSC the dramatic win.
WSC finished the game with 10 hits. Bolles was 2 for 4 with two RBI's while Burkhart was also 2 for 4 with two runs scored as eight different players had hits for the Wildcats.
Sophomore reliever Jerad Barth (3-0) picked up the win, pitching the final 2 1/3 innings. He gave up four hits and one run with two strikeouts and no walks. Junior starter Austen Wisroth worked 6 2/3 innings, charged with seven hits and five runs (one earned) with three strikeouts and two walks.
Wayne State will close out the regular season tomorrow with a doubleheader against Southwest Minnesota State to close out the four-game NSIC series beginning at noon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.
