William Jewell 22 Wayne State 14

            Wayne State set a season high with 19 hits but come up short in an offensive shootout 22-14 in a non-conference college baseball game played Tuesday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.  The Wildcats drop to 16-17 on the season with the Cardinals improving to 24-12.  Wayne State would take the season series between the two teams 2-1 with the Wildcats 10-4 and 14-10 wins earlier in the season.
            Brody Sintek got the nod for the Wildcats on a chilly afternoon matchup with the Cardinals.  William Jewell opened up with three runs in the top half of the inning on three hits and one Wildcat error.  WSC responded with plating three runs of their own to tie the game at 3-3 through one.  Chris Cornish yanked a 2-1 pitch down the left field line clearing the netting for a two-run shot scoring Noah Roberts from second after his lead-off walk.  Colin Lynam called Cornish's home run and raised him with a home run of his own for back-to-back shots making it a tied 3-3 ball game after one frame.
            In the top half of the second the Cardinals repeated their efforts in the first with a three spot for a 6-3 advantage after a scoreless bottom half from Wayne State. 
The Cardinal bats would stay hot plating five runs in the third on four hits but would be aided by a Wildcat error with two outs resulting in all five runs in the inning being unearned.  WSC would keep chipping away at the Cardinals lead with two runs in the bottom half of the third for an 11-5 score. Cornish and Colin Lynam would get runners on in the third with back-to-back singles with one out with Cornish coming around to score on a Nick Barnett RBI groundout and Colin Lynam being plated on a Nate Sailors RBI single to make it 11-5.
            WJC would tack on another five runs in the fourth making it a 16-5 game.  Wayne State would continue to not go quiet and plate one in the bottom half of the frame.  With two outs, pinch hitter Travis Baily doubled to deep left center to keep the inning alive.  He would come around to score after a Cardinal error and back-to-back walks for a 16-6 score through four frames.
Freshman left-hander Jacob Kneifl would cool the Cardinal bats down by tossing a scoreless fifth and sixth inning.  The Wildcats would continue to chip away at the Cardinal lead plating one in the fifth and two in the sixth for a 16-9 score through six innings.  Kyler Essink ripped a ball over the left field fence for his first career home run and the lone Wildcat run in the fifth making it 16-6.  In the sixth, Andrew Hanson got runners on early getting hit by a pitch and stealing second and scoring after a Cornish RBI double.  Cornish would advance to third on a wild pitch and be plated by a Sailors single to left for a score of 16-9 after six frames.
            The Cardinals would get back on the scoreboard in the seventh plating one on three hits.  WSC would again get runners on early in the inning with Garrett Svoboda and Robert's back-to-back singles to start the inning but would be stranded for a 17-9 Cardinal advantage after seven innings.
            WJC continued their hot day at the plate with two more runs in the eighth bringing the score to 19-9.  Wayne State would answer in a big way with five runs in the bottom half narrowing the margin to 19-14.  Colin Lynam continued his hot day leading off the inning with a lead-off triple to left and being plated on Sailors RBI single. With the bases loaded, two outs and a full count Baily drove a bases clearing double to left center making it 19-13.  Cam Madsen would pinch run for Baily and come around to score with a Hanson double down the left field line for a 19-14 score after eight frames.
            The Cardinals would keep the runs coming with another three spot making it a 22-14 advantage heading to the bottom of the ninth.  Wayne State would get runners on again but nothing doing for a final of 22-14.
            WSC would collect a season high 19 hits in the game with eight extra base hits, three being big fly's.  Nate Sailors would lead the way with a career best 4 for 6 day with three RBI's and one run scored.  Chris Cornish and Colin Lynam would both add three hits of their own while also both hitting a home run in the contest.  Colin Lynam would come up just short of hitting for the cycle needing a double going into his ninth inning at bat.  Travis Baily went 2 for 4 with three RBI's and Kyler Essink would add two hits and the fifth inning solo shot.  Six Wildcat batters would tally multi-hits in the game.
            Brody Sintek would take the loss dropping to 3-4 on the year.  Wayne State would use five relievers in the game. Jacob Kneifl would toss the most frames going four innings giving up three earned with four strikeouts.
            The Wildcats return to NSIC play this weekend visiting Sioux Falls for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday with a doubleheader Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and a nine-inning game set for Sunday at noon.