Senior shortstop Nate Cunningham went 3 for 5 with two homers, a triple and seven RBI to lead Wayne State past Minnesota Crookston 15-3 Friday afternoon in the opener of a three-game NSIC baseball series played in Wayne.  The game was moved to Wayne due to cold weather in northern Minnesota.  WSC is now 11-9 and 3-4 in the league while UMC drops to 11-8 and 4-3 in NSIC play.
            The 'Cats scored three runs to open the first inning to take the lead.  Cam Madsen led off with an infield single to third and Gabe Monosmith walked with both players scoring on a Cunningham triple to deep center field for the first two runs.  Cunningham then scored on a Braden Cannon sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.
            After the Golden Eagles scored one run in the bottom of the first, the 'Cats answered with two in the top of the second for a 5-1 lead.  Brayden Chaney led off with a triple and came home on a Tony Coniglio singled up the middle.  Designed hitter Max Heard doubled later in the inning to bring home Coniglio.
            Wayne State put the game out of reach in the third erupting for eight runs.  Cunningham opened the frame with a solo homer to left field and later in the inning belted a grand slam to right-center field to cap the inning.  In between, center fielder Easton Mains connected for a three-run homer over the right field wall putting the 'Cats ahead 13-1. 
            Minnesota Crookston came up with two runs in the fourth to make the score 13-3, but WSC got the two runs back in the top of the sixth as Casey Prychak walked and pinch runner Tyler Lofdahl later scored on a Golden Eagle throwing error for the first run.  Chaney walked and later scored on an RBI groundout from Mains to close the scoring in the 15-3 win that ended in the seventh inning via the 10-run rule.
            Wayne State ended the game with 12 hits, led by Cunningham's two homers, triple and seven RBI to go with three runs scored.  Chaney also had three hits, going 3 for 3 with a triple, three runs scored and two stolen bases.  Mains added a three-run homer and had four RBI while Heard doubled for the other extra base hit.
            Freshman starting pitcher Tyler Albert worked five strong innings for the win, now 4-1 on the season.  He gave up three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.  Lefthander Adam Eggert worked a perfect sixth inning with two strikeouts while Keegan Hansen pitched the seventh inning and allowed one hit with one walk.
            Wayne State and Minnesota Crookston will conclude their three-game NSIC series with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex starting at 12 p.m.