Freshman right-hander Tyler Albert fired a complete-game win with nine strikeouts in the opener to lead Wayne State baseball to an 8-3 win and a split of an NSIC baseball doubleheader vs. Minot State that was moved to Kearney, Nebraska Friday afternoon due to cold weather in Minot, North Dakota.  The host Beavers came back to win the nightcap 6-5 in 10 innings.  WSC is now 20-12 and 12-7 in the NSIC while Minot State is 12-17 and 7-12 in the league.
            The opener saw Albert fire a complete-game win with nine strikeouts while sophomore shortstop Nate Cunningham homered twice to lead the 'Cats in an 8-3 win.
            Minot State scored first with a run in the bottom of the first, but WSC answered with three in the second and two more in the third to take the lead for good at 5-1.
            In the second, Brayden Chaney's bunt single brought home Paul Schuyler (walk) with the first run.  Can Madsen later delivered a two-run single scoring Chaney and Braden Cannon (walk) for a 3-1 WSC lead.
            The 'Cats added two more runs in the third without a hit, using four walks and a Minot State error to take a 5-1 lead.
            Cunningham hit the first of two home runs, a solo shot to left field, in the fourth, giving WSC a 6-1 cushion.
            Minot State scored their final two runs in the fourth making it a 6-3 game.
            WSC added solo runs in the sixth and seventh to close with an 8-3 win.  Cunningham connected for a solo homer to right to start the sixth and in the seventh Easton Mains belted a solo homer to center field.
            Wayne State had seven hits in the win, led by Cunningham going 2 for 4 with a pair of home runs and three runs scored.  Mains had a home run while Chaney and Madsen each singled and had two RBI.
            Albert improved to 6-1 on the season with the complete-game win, allowing three runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.
            The second game saw Minot State rally with three runs in the eighth and the game-winning run in the 10^th to salvage a split with a 6-5 win over the Wildcats.
            Minot State scored first with two runs in the first for the early lead.  The score stayed 2-0 until WSC came up with three runs in the top of the fourth for a 3-2 lead.  Max Heard singled to start the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly from Schuyler for the first WSC run.  Easton Leahy followed with a two-run single scoring Cunningham (single) and Monosmith (single) for a 3-2 advantage.
            WSC scored twice in the eighth to take a 5-2 lead.  Monosmith doubled to open the inning with pinch-runner Brayden Chaney scoring on Cunningham's single to center for the first run.  Cunningham later scored on a double play ball putting the 'Cats in front by three.
            But Minot State tied the score with three runs in the eighth on two hits and two Wildcat errors sending the game into extra innings.
            In the 10^th, Minot State got the first two batters on with singles.  After a ground out put runners at second and third, WSC intentionally loaded the bases and the Beavers got a bases-loaded bunt to score the game-winning run for the 6-5 win.      
            WSC held an 11-8 edge in hits on Minot State.  Monosmith went 3 for 4 with a double and run scored while Cunningham was 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored.  Heard accounted for a pair of singles going 2 for 5.
            Starting pitcher Braden Sweet worked four innings, giving up two runs on three hits.  Reliever Kadyn Van Hill fired three hitless innings of relief.  Jace Coleman then worked one inning charged with three runs (one earned) on two hits and Conlin Grady was tagged with the loss in the final 1 1/3 innings. 
            The two teams meet again Saturday at 12 p.m. in a nine-inning game to close out their three-game NSIC series.