Game 1 - Wayne State 4 Minn. Crookston 0

Game 2 - Wayne State 3 Minn. Crookston 1

            Sophomore Eric Browning fired a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts to lead Wayne State College to a 4-0 win over Minnesota Crookston Friday afternoon in the opening game of a Northern Sun Conference baseball doubleheader played in Crookston, Minnesota.  The Wildcats won the second game 3-1 to complete a sweep of the Golden Eagles, moving Wayne State to 18-17 overall and 11-10 in the NSIC while Minnesota Crookston falls to 1-33 and 0-22 in league play.
            The story of the first game was Browning's no-hitter, the sixth in Wayne State baseball history and the third since the 2009 season.  A 6-1, 190 pound sophomore right hander from Lyons, Nebraska, Browning fanned 13 batters in the no-hitter while allowing three walks to improve his season mark to 5-3. 
            WSC took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Michael Herman doubled and later scored on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Schleppenbach. 
            The 'Cats plated three more runs in the fourth for a 4-0 lead, collecting just two hits while taking advantage of two UMC errors.  Jake Perez opened the inning with an infield single to shortstop and later scored on a Alex Kreft single through the left side.  Schleppenbach reached on a Minnesota Crookston error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Aaron Krier for the second run while the third run scored when Zak Leighton reached on a fielding error to bring home Schleppenbach.
            Wayne State had six hits in the opener, led by Kreft going 2 for 3 with a pair of singles and RBI.  Herman was 2 for 4 including a double and run scored.  Curtis Bussard and Perez also singled for the Wildcats in the win.
            The second game saw the Wildcats complete the sweep with a 3-1 win over the Golden Eagles.
            The 'Cats took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when freshman right fielder Jake Perez doubled and scored on a Kevin Andersen fielder's choice. 
            WSC took a 3-0 lead in the sixth with two more runs when CJ Nolen singled and scored on a Michael Herman RBI single while Herman crossed the plate on a second double by Perez.
            Minnesota Crookston scored their lone run of the game in the eighth inning, but reliever Ryan Zweck came on in the ninth inning to seal the win with two strikeouts to earn his third save giving WSC the 3-1 win.
            UMC had nine hits in the game to eight by WSC.  Perez had two doubles to go 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI and run scored to lead the way.  Six other players each singled for WSC with Nolen, Herman and Perez scoring WSC runs.
            Junior Matt Russell (2-1) worked six shutout innings to earn the pitching win, allowing five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.  Reliever Chad Kim pitched the next two innings and was charged with one run on three hits to go with three strikeouts and one walk while Zweck worked the ninth inning to earn the save, allowing one hit with two strikeouts.
            Wayne State and Minnesota Crookston meet again on Saturday in a doubleheader starting at noon in Crookston, Minnesota.