Wayne State scored seven runs in the final two innings to pull away from Minnesota Duluth for a 13-6 Northern Sun Conference baseball win Friday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.  The Wildcats are now 15-11 and 11-6 in the NSIC while the Bulldogs slip to 12-14 and 8-9 in league play.
            The 'Cats got off to a strong start, holding a 6-1 advantage through three innings.  UMD then scored five runs over the next 3 ½ innings to even the score at 6-6, but the 'Cats came up with three runs in the seventh and another four tallies in the eighth to close with a 13-6 victory.
            Cam Madsen opened the Wildcat first with a single and touched home plate on a bases loaded walk to first baseman Kaden Young for the first WSC run.
            After UMD tied the score in the top of the second, the 'Cats recorded four runs in the bottom of the frame for a 5-1 lead.  Chase Douglas had a two-run triple to score Connor Hunt (single) and Madsen (walk) for the first two runs.  Quinn McCafferty followed with an RBI single bringing home Douglas while the final run scored on a bases loaded walk to Braden Cannon with Taylor Gill (hit by pitch) scoring.
            Hunt opened the third inning with a single and crossed home plate on an RBI single by Douglas up the middle to put the 'Cats in front 6-1.
            Minnesota Duluth started to rally in the fourth scoring two runs and added one more in the sixth and two in the seventh to knot the score at 6-6.
            The 'Cats gained the lead back in the seventh scoring three times for a 9-6 advantage.  Hunt delivered a two-run single up the middle for the big hit in the inning while Casey Prychak added a sacrifice fly to score the other run.
            Four insurance runs were scored by WSC in the eighth inning to close the scoring in the 13-6 win.  Douglas, Max Heard and Gill all singled to open the inning followed by a bases-loaded clearing double from McCafferty.  Young added an RBI double to bring home McCafferty to seal the win.
            Wayne State had 14 hits in the win.  Hunt went 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Douglas had a 3 for 5 with a triple, three RBI and two runs scored.  McCafferty finished 2 for 3 with a double and four RBI.  Young was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI while Heard finished with a pair of singles.
            Starting pitcher Jackson Shelburne worked the first five innings and allowed six hits and three runs (one earned) with four strikeouts.  Reliever Brooks Kneifl picked up the win (2-0) despite allowing two runs on two hits in one inning of work.  Keinan Lentell pitched the final two innings and did not allow a run on three hits to earn the save.
            The Wildcats and Bulldogs resume their four-game NSIC series Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. in Wayne.