Game 1 - Minn. Crookston 7 Wayne State 6

Game 2 - Wayne State 8 Minn. Crookston 4

            Four unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning of the opener kept Wayne State from sweeping a Northern Sun Conference baseball series at Minnesota Crookston Sunday as the host Golden Eagles recorded a miraculous rally for a 7-6 win in the opener while WSC came back to win the second game 8-4 to take the weekend series 3-1 in Crookston, Minnesota.  Wayne State is now 15-17 and 10-10 in the NSIC while UMC is 9-25 and 3-15 in league play.
            The Wildcats seemed well on its way to a win in the opener as Nathan Ackerman belted a pair of solo homers with Albert Johnson adding a two-run blast in the top of the seventh to give WSC a 6-3 lead.
            UMC opened the seventh with a leadoff runner reaching base on a Wildcat error.  But WSC senior reliever struck out the next two batters and was one out away from a Wildcat win.  However, the Golden Eagles used a single and three run homer to knot the score at 6-6, then got a double and game-winning single from Patrick Higgins to give Minnesota Crookston a dramatic 7-6 win.
            Wayne State outhit UMC in the first game 14-10.  Ackerman hit two solo homers and finished the game 3 for 4 with three runs scored and two RBI.  Johnson was a perfect 3 for 3 with a two-run homer.  Tanner Simons, John Roberts and Zak Leighton each had two hits in the loss.
            Junior reliever Connor Keating (0-1) suffered the pitching loss, allowing one hit in the bottom of the seventh.  Starter Mike Frericks worked the first four innings and gave up three runs on five hits with four strikeouts.  Senior reliever Ryan Zweck worked the next 2 2/3 innings, charged with four hits and four runs (all unearned) with four strikeouts before giving way to Keating.
            The second game saw Ackerman homer again, going a perfect 3 for 3 with three RBI's, to power the Wildcats in a 8-4 win over the Golden Eagles.
            Tied 2-2 after two innings, WSC took the lead for good in the third on a two-run homer from Ackerman.  Zak Leighton added a two-run single in the fourth to give the 'Cats a 6-3 lead.  A John Roberts solo homer in the seventh closed out the scoring that gave WSC the 8-4 win.
            Wayne State had a 12-8 advantage in hits over the Golden Eagles thanks to Ackerman's perfect 3 for 3 day with a homer, triple and three RBI's.  Roberts was 2 for 5 with a solo homer and two runs scored to extend his season-high hitting streak to 10 games while Leighton posted a 2 for 4 day with two RBI's.
             Senior starter Dylan McGill improved to 5-0 on the season with five solid innings of work.  He allowed four runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.  Senior Nick Ragan pitched the final four innings with scoreless relief to earn the save, giving up just two hits with two strikeouts and three walks.
            Wayne State will continue their 16-game road trip next weekend with doubleheaders at Augustana College Saturday (1:30 p.m.) and Sunday (12 p.m.).