Wayne State Baseball would split with the Minot State Beavers this afternoon. WSC would win game one 8-3 after a huge performance from
Jackson Shelburne on the mound as he struck out 11 batters. Game two the Beavers would score the winning run in the ninth and prevent WSC from getting on base, winning 8-7.
Wayne State baseball defeated the Minot State Beavers this afternoon in game one, 8-3.
Jackson Shelburne started on the bump in the first game and was able to put down the first three Beavers to open the first inning.
Chase Douglas would hit a two RBI homerun out of left field to put the first two runs on the board for the 'Cats.
With a runner on first and only one out,
Quinn McCafferty would hit a homerun to tack on two more runs to WSC's lead. The Wildcats would come out of the first inning with a 4-0 lead.
WSC kept it going in the fourth inning with two more runs.
Casey Prychak reached on a error and would later score a run of a
Cam Madsen single.
Chase Douglas would reach on a fielder's choice and reach second on an error after Madsen was thrown out.
Max Heard hit a double down the right field line to earn himself and RBI and Douglas would score the 6
th run for the 'Cats.
In the third inning
Kaden Young would score the seventh run after a
Braden Cannon sacrifice fly. The last Wildcat run came in the bottom of the 6
th with Madsen scoring on a ground ball by Douglas.
Minot looked to make it interesting in the last inning of play. The first batter hit a homerun out to center. The Beavers took advantage of two errors by the 'Cats to score their second and third runs before Shelburne struck out the final batter.
Shelburne ended the game with 11 strikeouts in seven innings. Madsen and Douglas both had two runs while Douglas added three RBIs. McCafferty added two RBIs, and one run scored.
The Beavers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning after the Wildcats game up one hit and committed two fielding errors. MSU added two more runs in the third after holding the 'Cats to one hit in the second inning. MSU held onto a 5-0 lead through two and a half innings.
Prychak led off the bottom of the third and walked on a full count.
Connor Hunt reached on a fielder's choice and Prychak advanced to second. Madsen came up to the dish and reached on a fielder's choice while Prychak was thrown out at third. Douglas drove the pair of the Wildcats home after he doubled down the right field line.
Heard singled down the right field line and earned an RBI as Douglas scored.
Taylor Gill singled through the right side and Heard advanced to third. With two outs and two runners on,
Kaden Young hit a homerun out to left to take back the lead 6-5.
The Beavers escaped the jam in the fourth inning after loading the bases full of Wildcats after giving up one hit and one error.
McCafferty doubled in the sixth and Gill would score from second to add onto the 'Cats lead to make it 7-5.
The seventh inning both teams left runners on the bases, and neither were able to take advantage of runners in scoring position.
In the eighth inning, Minot tied up the game at 7-7. Their sixth run came after two batters hit doubles down the left field line. The tying run scored after a Wildcat throwing error.
Heard led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to center and Bradon Chaney came in to pinch run. Chaney advanced to third after tagging up on a fly out to right field. McCafferty reached on a fielder's choice as Chaney was thrown out at home.
To lead off the ninth, Minot's pinch hitter singled to center. The next batter was thrown out on a sacrifice bunt and the runner advanced to second. With two outs, the winning run scored on a single down the right field line.
WSC's batters were unable to get on base to extend the game and the 'Cats would lose game two 8-7.
Wayne State and Minot State conclude their four-game NSIC series Sunday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
