Game 1 - Wayne State 2 Minnesota Duluth 0

Game 2 - Wayne State 5 Minnesota Duluth 3

            The Wayne State College baseball team opened Northern Sun Conference play Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 and 5-3 sweep over Minnesota Duluth at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.  The Wildcats are now 8-7 on the season, 2-0 in league play, while the visiting Bulldogs drop to 4-8 and 0-2 in the NSIC.
            The opener saw sophomore starter Eric Browning notch 10 strikeouts over six innings and the Wildcats made the most of their five hits in a 2-0 win over the Bulldogs.
            WSC scored in the fourth inning when Curtis Bussard singled, moved to second on a CJ Nolen single, advanced to third on a walk to Nick McIntee and scored on a bases loaded walk to Brandon Lalk.
            The 'Cats added another run in the fifth inning when Zak Leighton singled and later scored on a Jake Perez single through the right side for a 2-0 lead.
            That's all the run support needed for Browning, who improved to 2-2 on the season by allowing just two hits over six innings with 10 strikeouts and three walks.  Sophomore reliever Curtis Bussard earned the save in the seventh, fanning two of the three batters he faced.
            The second game saw the Wildcats build an early 3-0 lead, then hold off a pair of UMD rallies for the 5-3 win.
            The Wildcats struck for three runs in the third inning to take the early advantage.  Kevin Andersen was hit by a pitch and scored on Alex Schleppenbach's double for the first run.  Zak Leighton's sacrifice fly to center field scored Schleppenbach while CJ Nolen came through with an RBI single that scored Bussard, who doubled earlier.
            After UMD scored two runs in the fifth to make the score 3-2, WSC countered with a single run in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-2 lead as Jake Perez doubled and scored on a Bulldog throwing error.
            The Bulldogs rallied again in the top of the eighth inning, scoring one run on two hits and one WSC error to trim the Wildcat lead to 4-3.  But WSC answered the call again and put the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the eighth when Perez doubled and scored on Michael Herman's single for the 5-3 win.
            Minnesota Duluth had one more hit than WSC, 9-8.  Perez was 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored while Brandon Lalk finished 2 for 4 at the plate.  Bussard and Schleppenbach also doubled for the 'Cats at the plate.
            Wildcat starter Dylan McGill earned the pitching win, improving to 2-1 on the season.  He last six innings and gave up five hits and two runs with three strikeouts and one walk.  Relievers Chad Kim, Ryan Zweck and Bussard each worked one inning.  Bussard pitched the ninth inning and had two strikeouts and one walk with one hit to earn his second save of the day and third overall this season. 
            Wayne State and Minnesota Duluth are scheduled to play another doubleheader on Monday at 1 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.