MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Minot State University opened the 2017 season with stellar performances on the mound by three seniors to earn a split of two games at U.S. Bank Stadium against Minnesota Crookston in nonconference NCAA Division II baseball Friday night and Saturday morning.

The Beavers gave up only two runs while striking out eight to take the season opener 3-2 against UMC. In game two MSU lost 5-4 despite another solid pitching performance.

"I was very impressed with how we threw the ball tonight," said MSU head coach Scott Eul. "We challenged them from the start and made them earn every run they scored. (Jeremy) Sylvester came in ready to pitch and compete tonight he is going to get a lot of wins for us with that mentality."

In game one, senior Kendal Daniels started for the Beavers allowing two runs in four innings of work while striking out three. MSU fell behind early after UMC put up a run in the bottom of the third.

But, the Beavers answered with a run of its own in the top of the fourth when Paul Vogelsang scored on an error by UMC's shortstop. After the Golden Eagles went up by one again, MSU's Wyatt Schlosser hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to score Geordie McDougall and tie the game up.

McDougall was the hero in the seventh for the Beavers. He drove in pinch runner Trevaun Smith on a single up the middle to put the Beavers up 3-2.

Jeremy Sylvester whom came in relief in the fifth inning closed the door on UMC finishing with five strikeouts in three innings of work to earn his first win as a Beaver. Jordan Schulz finished game 1 with four hits, while Sean Alp and McDougall collected two hits apiece.

In game 2, MSU took an early lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Michael Borst scoring Schulz. The Beavers would score one in the fourth and two in the fifth, but UMC responded with two in both the third and sixth inning.

Senior Tanner Alexander had a great start for the Beavers throwing six innings, striking out 11 UMC hitters, but that was not enough as the Golden Eagles scored one more in the eighth to take game 2.

"Tanner was impressive from the start tonight," Eul said. "He went out there and set the tone early for us."

Borst led the Beavers in game 2 with three hits, while Kyle Williamson, Justin Demary and Alp all collected two hits each. Demary and Schlosser each collected their first hits as Beavers in game 2.

"Playing at US Bank Stadium was unbelievable experience for our guys. It took a couple innings for our guys to really settle in to the pace of the game tonight but that was expected," Eul said. "We came down here with a mission to win two ball games and compete to get ourselves ready for the grueling season we have here. Although we split, we battled and we played two tight games and I think showed our guys we do belong. We found some things we need to focus on the next couple of weeks, but we are ready to come back down here in a couple weeks and get a few more wins."

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.