TUCSON, Ariz. - The Minot State University baseball team scored first in a game with 25 total runs, but failed to hold on to its lead as a big second inning from Northern State put the Beavers down 8-2.
After three and a half innings MSU was trailing 10-2, but pulled back in it with a four-run inning to make the game 10-6. The Beavers never could quite close the gap and the Wolves capped off the game scoring three runs in each of the final two innings to make the final score 18-7.
It wasn't all bad for Minot State, however, as the team scored seven runs on 13 hits as well as making it to base eight times on walks.
"Our batters are getting better and better," head coach
Brock Weppler said. "I'm very confident in our team. Our hitters are deep and we have multiple options so I am happy with that. Our batters are going to continue to improve with each game. It happens every year on this trip as we continue to get reps our guys will get better."
Leading the team with three hits and one RBI apiece were
Celestino Rodriguez (1B, Fr., Crystal Lake, Ill.) and
Geordie McDougall (2B, Fr., Lumsden, Saskatchewan). Rodriguez's RBI came on the second homerun on the day for the Beavers. The first was hit by
Jordan Schulz (OF, Jr., Strasbourg, Saskatchewan), a two-run shot in the first and his third of the season.
Also playing well for the team were the relief pitchers as
Wyatt Moore (So., Aurora, Ore.) held the mound for 3.1 innings and
Alec Grothe (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.) closed out the game pitching 1.1.
"The score is what it is," Weppler said. "It was ugly on the scoreboard, but we played better than that. We had some guys in relief doing a much better job than they had been doing; throwing with confidence.
Wyatt Moore I thought threw very well. He gives up one homerun and it makes it look like a mediocre day, but he threw pretty well for us. Same with Grothe, he threw better. Came into a tough situation and got out of an inning. He struck out two more batters. That was good to see out of those guys."
The score wasn't what the Beavers wanted, but Weppler hasn't been shy about his goals for this season which are to be ready to go when conference play hits and make the conference playoffs. Improvement this week is important as MSU will play its final game in Arizona on the 20th and its first conference game the 25th at Upper Iowa.
Minot State will play tomorrow, March 17, at 2 p.m. against Antelope Valley.
