Game 1 - Wayne State 3 Sioux Falls 2 (8 inn.)

Game 2 - Sioux Falls 5 Wayne State 1

            Tadd Johansen improved to 6-0 on the season while Justin Beranek produced the game-winning hit for Wayne State in the opener to help the Wildcats split a Northern Sun Conference baseball doubleheader at the University of Sioux Falls Friday evening at Harmodon Park in Sioux Falls.  The Wildcats captured the first game in eight innings 3-2 but fell in the second game 5-1 to suffer its first loss in NSIC play in eight games this season.  WSC is now 15-7 and 7-1 in league play while USF has records of 9-17 overall and 4-8 in the NSIC.
            In the first game, Beranek single to center field in the top of the eighth inning scored Blake Brisson with the eventual game-winning run to give the Wildcats a 3-2 win in the opener.
            WSC took a 2-0 lead in the third when Tanner Lancaster singled and scored on Brisson's sacrifice bunt while CJ Nolen followed with an RBI single that drove home Brett Keim, who singled earlier.  USF scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to knot the score at 2-2 and the game remained scoreless until the WSC eighth inning.
            Brisson led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on Nolen's bunt single.  Both runners advanced on a passed ball then Michael Herman was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out when Beranek came through with his clutch hit.
            WSC had eight hits in the win with Nolen finishing 3 for 4 and an RBI while Beranek had two singles in three at bats.  Keim, Michael Frericks and Tanner Lancaster also singled but Brisson saw his 15-game hit streak come to an end.
            Johansen pitched seven innings to earn the win for WSC improving his season record to 6-0.  He allowed two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and two walks.  Sophomore Nick Ragan worked the eighth inning and allowed just one hit to earn the save
            The second game saw WSC limited to just five hits by USF starter Noah Coleman as the Cougars salvaged a split with a 5-1 win.                  USF plated four runs in the fourth and added another in the sixth while WSC avoided the shutout with a run in the top of the seventh inning when Tanner Lancaster singled and scored on a Brett Keim double for the 'Cats lone score of the second game.
            Lancaster led WSC at the plate going 2 for 3 with a run scored while Keim and Kevin Andersen each doubled. 
            Senior Tom Doran (1-3) was tagged with the pitching loss, allowing four runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.  Sophomore lefthander Matt Schulz pitched the final two innings and gave up one run on two hits with two strikeouts.        
            Wayne State and Sioux Falls will conclude their four-game NSIC series on Saturday afternoon with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Harmodon Park in Sioux Falls.