MESA, Ariz. - Minot State University baseball scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to snap a 4-4 tie and enact a little revenge.
The Beavers gave up runs Saturday to Benedictine University-Springfield (Ill.) to fall to the Bulldogs.
This time it was the Beavers turn to rally as MSU fell behind 4-0 after two innings before scoring the game's final six and finish the Russ Matt Greater Phoenix Invitational on a winning note taking a 6-4 win Sunday.
“We wanted to come out and get a win in the last one down here,” said MSU head coach Brock Weppler. “It would have been a long trip home if we didn't. We had a couple errors early that put us behind the eight ball, but we battled. It could have been ugly, but we battled back.”
The Beavers finished the tournament with a 7-4 record and improved to 7-8 overall on the season. MSU is off until the weekend when the Beavers travel to Rapid City, S.D. to take part in the Dakota Athletic Conference Preconference Tournament.
Against Benedictine, MSU used four pitchers to hold Benedictine to just six hits and one earned run over nine innings. Paul Thompson (Jr., P, Pierson, Manitoba) pitched the final 2 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season. Thompson was perfect over the final two-plus innings, striking out four batters. All three of the MSU relievers - Thompson, Bryan Krahler (Sr., P, Fessenden, N.D.) and Brody Pinkerton (Sr., P, Pilot Mound, Manitoba) - all came through in big situations.
“We got great relief work from three guys in big jams,” Weppler said. “Krahler got a big double play ball, Pinkerton came in and got fly ball with second and third on two outs and Paul came in with first and second with one out and got two fly balls.
“Paul was very good for us, this was a confidence booster. He spotted up and kept the ball low in the zone. He also got his curve ball in for a strike. It was good to see from him and from our pitching staff.”
It was nearly all or nothing for the MSU hitters as the Beavers had five of the seven players who got hits in the game finish with multiple hits. Kory Houston (Sr., OF, Minot, N.D.) and Levi Kerns (Fr., 1B/DH, Victoria, British Columbia) led the way, each going 3-for-4 with a double at the plate. Houston knocked in a run and score a run, while Kerns scored two runs. Jordan Gilmour (So., OF, Gatineau, Quebec), Scott Peters (Jr., 1B/DH, Altona, Manitoba) and Jaret Chatwood (Sr., C/Util., Red Deer, Alberta) all had two hits. Gilmour finished with two runs batted in an a double, while Peters and Chatwood added an RBI each.
MSU pounded out 14 hits in the game.
“It was a little different lineup, and while some of the names were the same from guys who have been coming through for us, it also seems like we have a new guy every game come up big,” said Weppler. “I have confidence in 15-16 guys who can all come in an hit the ball. We put Levi in at first and he had a big day.”
MSU opens with Jamestown College Saturday at the DAC Preconference Tournament and plays four times in two days in Rapid City.