Wayne State 7 Upper Iowa 4

            Senior shortstop Andrew Hanson recorded his 200th career hit, a two-run homer to highlight a five-run fourth inning, to lead Wayne State in a 7-4 Northern Sun Conference baseball win Saturday afternoon at Upper Iowa in the season finale for both teams.  The Wildcats end the year 19-26 overall and ninth place in the NSIC with a 13-18 league mark while the host Peacocks finish 12-31 and 10-22 in conference games.
            The 'Cats had a little bit of everything to score two runs in the top of the first to open the game.  Two walks, two hit batters and three stolen bases with just one hit resulted in two Wildcat runs. 
            Andrew Hanson was hit by a pitch, stole second and third bases and scored on a passed ball for the first Wildcat run.  Chris Cornish walked and later scored on a Colin Lynam RBI single for a 2-0 WSC advantage.
            After Upper Iowa scored one run in the bottom of the third to cut the Wildcat lead to 2-1, Wayne State came back with five runs in the top of the fourth to take a 7-1 lead.
            Designated hitter Nick Barnett opened the inning with a double and scored on a Conner Fiene double down the left field line for the first WSC run.  Travis Baily singled and came home on a Noah Roberts sacrifice fly while pinch-runner Kyler Essink, who replaced Fiene, cross home plate on Alex Logelin's RBI single to left field. 
            Logelin scored on an Andrew Hanson two-run homer to left field to culminate the inning, giving Hanson the 200th hit of his Wildcat career.  The Burnsville, Minnesota native is now the 10th player in school history to collect 200 career hits.
            The Wildcats did not score another run in the rest of the contest.
            Upper Iowa came up with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and one run in the bottom of the eighth to trim the Wayne State lead to 7-4.
            Wayne State's seven pitchers in the contest kept the Peacocks at bay and the 'Cats closed the season with a 7-4 victory. 
            Upper Iowa had one more hit than the Wildcats 9-8.  Alex Logelin and Travis Baily each went 2 for 3 at the plate to lead the Wildcats.  Hanson followed with a two-run homer and had two stolen bases, ending the year as the NSIC leader with 37.  Barnett and Fiene each doubled and Colin Lynam had a single.
            Wayne State used seven pitchers in the contest. Starter Jackson Shelburne worked the first three innings and was charged with one run on four hits.  Senior Josh Renken (4-0) pitched two innings of hitless relief with two strikeouts to earn the win.  Ryan Petersen, Grant Carl and Nate Sailors each pitched one inning of relief and Nolan Belt saw action facing two batters in the eighth inning.  Nick Oden retired all three batters in the bottom of the ninth inning to record the save.