Box Score Wayne State 9 Winona State 7

            Wayne State College scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to rally for a 9-7 win Thursday afternoon over Winona State in an elimination game at the 2018 NSIC Baseball Tournament played at Sioux Falls Stadium.  The Wildcats are now 21-25 on the season while Winona State ends the year at 18-23.
            WSC opened the scoring in the second inning on an Andrew Hanson RBI single that scored Travis Miller (double).
            The 'Cats took a 3-0 lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth as Miller (single) and Hanson (double) both scored when Kyle Thompson reached base on a Warrior fielding error.
            Winona State then responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame and two more in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead.
            The Wildcats evened the score at 5-5 in the top of the sixth with two runs, thanks to a two-run single from junior catcher Garrett Graveline, that scored Miller (single) and Hanson (error).
            The Warriors regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth with one run for a 6-5 lead.
            That's when Wayne State used some final inning magic to score four runs and take the lead for good.
            Tanner Simons started the rally with an RBI double followed by a pinch-hit run scoring double from sophomore Bryce Bisenius.  A Travis Miller RBI single gave WSC an 8-6 lead followed by a sacrifice fly from Jake Lorenzini that scored Miller to put the 'Cats ahead 9-6.
            Winona State scored one run in the bottom of the ninth to make the final score 9-7.
            Wayne State finished the game with 14 hits, led by Miller going 4 for 5 with four runs scored.  Simons went 2 for 5 with a double, triple and RBI while Andrew Hanson finished 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
            Sophomore reliever Lawson Zenner (6-3) recorded the win with two innings of relief.  He was charged with two runs on four hits with four strikeouts.  Sophomore starter Hunter Wienhoff worked seven innings and gave up five runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
            WSC will play another elimination game Thursday evening around 7:30 p.m. against the loser of Northern State and Concordia-St. Paul at Sioux Falls Stadium.