Wayne State used a five-run sixth inning in the second game to rally for a 9-2 win over Minnesota Crookston, earning a split in a Northern Sun Conference neutral site baseball doubleheader Thursday afternoon at the Adam LaRoche Baseball Complex in Fort Scott, Kansas.  The Wildcats are now 6-1 overall and 6-1 in the league after falling in the opener 2-0 while Minnesota Crookston is 2-4 and 1-2 in conference play.
            The opener saw Minnesota Crookston starter Brody Sorenson limit the Wildcats to just three hits – all singles – while fanning 10 as the Golden Eagles posted a 2-0 win.
            UMC scored one run in the fourth on two hits and added another run in the sixth inning on a pair of hits.
            Wayne State's Carter Thomas opened the game with a single, stole second but was thrown out trying to steal third.  Kaden Young had a leadoff single in the third inning and Max Heard had a single to open the fourth inning for Wayne State's three hits in the contest.
            Starting pitcher Jackson Shelburne (0-1) was tagged with the pitching loss in four innings of work, allowing just three hits and one run with six strikeouts.  Junior Jacob Kneifl fired two innings of relief giving up one run on two hits while Kadyn Van Hill worked a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts.
            The second game was another pitcher's duel early, but Wayne State erupted for five runs in the sixth inning as the Wildcats went on to post a 9-2 win and gain a split of the doubleheader.
            The Wildcats scored first in the game as Carter Thomas doubled and later scored on a Colin Lynam RBI single for a 1-0 lead.
            Minnesota Crookston produced single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a short-lived 2-1 lead.
            Wayne State used a combination of four singles and four walks by Golden Eagle pitchers to score five runs and grab a 6-2 lead.  Trey Wells had a two-run single while Chase Douglas produced an RBI single in the inning as key hits.
            Three insurance runs by the Wildcats in the eighth inning closed the scoring in the 9-2 victory.  Wells connected with a two-run homer to open the inning after a walk to Colin Lynam.  Quinn McCafferty walked and later scored on a double from Kaden Young to close the scoring.
            Both teams had eight hits in the contest.  Wells ended 2 for 5 with a two-run homer and four RBI's.  Thomas went 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored while Young also went 2 for 4 with a double and RBI. 
            Junior starter Nathan Anderson worked five innings, fanning six batters while allowing two runs on six hits.  Reliever Josh Kilzer fired one inning of scoreless relief to earn the win, now 1-0.  Kadyn Van Hill, Alex Calabrese and Braden Cannon each pitched one inning of scoreless relief.
            Wayne State and Minnesota Crookston conclude their four-game NSIC series on Friday at 12 p.m. in Fort Scott, Kansas.