WAYNE – A pair of NSIC baseball teams who are just inside the top eight to advance to the postseason tournament competed against one another from the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex Wednesday afternoon.
Wayne State College (sixth) and Concordia-St. Paul (seventh) are still alive for the NSIC Baseball Tournament but need to stay in the top eight to qualify.
In the opening game, C-SP got on the board with a two-run second inning. Both teams scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning and each tacking on another run in the sixth saw the Golden Bears lead WSC 5-3 and hold on for the win.
Game one:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
0 2 0 0 2 1 0 5 8 1 – CSP
0 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 7 3 – WSC
Junior Jake Lorenzini paced the ‘Cats at the plate with a triple and RBI as sophomore Jackson Petersen and senior Tanner Simons both picked up a single and drove in a run. Junior Travis Miller added a pair of singles while freshman Alex Logelin and junior Garrett Graveline both singled.
Sophomore Isaac Rubendall suffered the loss (2-2) in five and a third innings allowing five runs (three earned) off of eight hits while striking out two batters and walking one. Senior Brady Johnson pitched two-thirds of an inning striking out and walking one batter each while senior Dalton Smith worked an inning.
From the second contest, Concordia-St. Paul was the first to get on the board with a two-run third inning as WSC answered with two of their own runs in the fourth. The Golden Bears then rattled off a run in the fifth, two in the sixth, one run in the seventh and two more in the eighth. WSC scored one run in the seventh and fell 8-3. With the sweep, Concordia-St Paul improves to 17-11 (10-8 NSIC) while the ‘Cats are now 15-21 (13-13 NSIC).
Game two:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
0 0 2 0 1 2 1 2 0 8 9 1 – CSP
0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 3 7 1 – WSC
Miller doubled and drove in a run while freshman Andrew Hanson added a single and RBI. Sophomore Bryce Bisenius singled twice as Logelin, Graveline and Petersen all singled.
WSC used six pitchers as senior Spencer Johnson started the opening four innings allowing two earned runs off of four hits while striking out one batter and walking two. Senior Adam Poldberg suffered the loss (0-1) in an inning allowing an earned run and walking two batters. Brady Johnson pitched an inning allowing two earned runs off of two hits while walking two batters; Smith worked an inning allowing an earned run off of one hit; junior Jordan Mehl came in for a third of an inning allowing two earned runs off of one hit while walking a batter and redshirt freshman Cedric Moreno closed out the final inning and two-thirds allowing one hit while striking out three batters.
The Wayne State College baseball team will close out their home conference schedule this weekend with Sioux Falls coming to town on Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29. Saturday will feature a Salute to Veterans double header at 1:30/3:30 p.m. while Sunday games will be held at Noon and 2 p.m.
WSC will have their regular season come to an end next Friday and Saturday, May 4-5 at Augustana. Friday night action will get underway at 4/6 p.m. while Saturday games will be held at Noon/2 p.m.
