TUCSON, Ariz. – Reliable pitching and strong bats earned the Minot State University baseball team its second win of the season in the second game of the afternoon against Valley City State. MSU, however, lost its first game of the day 12-8 against Northern State.

Giving up four runs in the first inning and committing nine errors throughout the game, the Beavers didn't find their groove in their first game until it was too late. The highlight from the first game was a grand slam from junior Jordan Schulz (OF, Strasbourg, Saskatchewan) in the seventh inning, but it wasn't enough as the final score read 12-8 in favor of the Wolves.

In the second game of the day the Beavers pitching caught up to the performance of their batting. Senior Austin Berntson (Minot, N.D.) pitched a team season-high seven innings to start the game. He is the only MSU pitcher to pitch six or more innings in a single outing this season as he has pitched six or higher three times now this season, earning his first win today.

"It felt really good because I was trying to give our other pitchers a thing to look at," Berntson said. "As a senior, it finally gives me something I can show to them that will give them a reason to accept the advice I give now that I came through and did my job today."

Head coach Brock Weppler was also pleased with the way Berntson pitched as he gave up just three earned runs in seven innings while striking out five batters.
"He competed," Weppler said. "I don't think he walked a guy, he beamed one, but he filled up the zone, threw strikes and attacked guys. That's something we've been stressing over and over again. I thought that was the biggest thing for him. He did well. I'm sure he's exhausted by now, but he threw really well."

The Beavers offense helped their pitchers by getting a quick 6-0 lead in the first two innings and carrying it to a 10-5 lead in the eighth inning before relief pitcher Wyatt Moore (So., Aurora, Ore.) came into the game. Berntson had no reason to underplay the amount of confidence leads like that provide to him and others on the mound.

"It's awesome," Berntson said. "I love pitching when our team is hitting this well. Hopefully we can keep it going all the way. I think the way we have been down here it's going to correlate into the conference season."

Four MSU players tallied two or more RBIs including Jarrod Adams (C, Jr., Yerington, Nev.) who had five on three hits and Geordie McDougall (2B, Fr., Lumsden, Saskatchewan) who had three on two hits.

Minot State will play its final game in Arizona on Sunday, March 20 at 12:30 p.m. PST against Hastings College before moving into conference play at Upper Iowa on March 25.