MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University had its heart broke twice in the final inning as the Beavers dropped a pair of games to regionally ranked St. Cloud State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball Wednesday at Corbett Field.

The Beavers came within a strike of upsetting the Huskies in game 1, but ended up giving up five runs in the top of the seventh to lose 8-6 and couldn't get one more big hit in the ninth and 10th innings in game 2, dropping a 3-2 extra-inning contest.

"It's frustrating," said MSU head coach Scott Eul, a former SCSU assistant who faced the Huskies the first time as head coach at Minot State. "I don't think they won two, I think we lost two. It comes down to making plays defensively and playing under pressure. We couldn't make the routine play when we needed to and we're not good enough to overcome those."

In game 1, MSU starter Tanner Alexander scrambled his way to a near complete game, but gave up a two-out, two-strike, two-run home run to Jordan Joseph in the top of the seventh to tie the game at five. SCSU tacked on three more after and held on for the 8-6 win.

"The kid at the plate (Joseph) has been in some clutch situations for them already and he came up again for them," Eul said. "We had him on a pitch selection and he just made a good swing on it. Tanner knew what he wanted to do and was sold on it, he just put a good swing on it."

The Beavers scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 5-3 lead as Celestino Rodriguez singled to right centerfield to score Jarrod Adams and Sean Alp who hustled all the way from first to score. It was Rodriguez's third RBI of the game as he tied the game at three with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

After the five-run SCSU seventh, MSU got one back as Jordan Schulz hit a solo home run to right field, his fourth HR of the year, but SCSU's closer Miles Nablo got the final three outs to earn his fourth save of the year.

Alexander pitched 6.2 innings allowing 10 hits and seven runs with just three earned and struck out six, falling to 5-3. Huskies starter Cal Giese went six innings, allowing five hits and five runs with seven strikeouts to improve to 8-2.

Michael Borst went 2 for 3 with an RBI and Schulz was 2 for 4 with the home run for MSU.

In game 2, MSU had two chances to win the game, but couldn't get a big hit late. After the Beavers tied the game at two with an RBI double by Sean Alp, MSU had the bases loaded and just one out. But SCSU retired the final two batters to force extra innings.

In the 10th after SCSU scored a run in the top of the inning to take a 3-2 lead, MSU had two on and one out, but the Huskies doubled off the Beavers to end the inning and the series.

The loss spoiled a great outing for MSU junior Justin Demary, who ended with a no decision after throwing 132 pitches in eight innings of work. He allowed just one run on eight hits and struck out six batters. MSU reliever Kendal Daniels pitched well enough to win, going two innings, allowing two hits and two runs although just one earned, but fell to 1-5 with the loss.

"We pitched really well today. The guys competed and gave us a chance," Eul said.

Nablo pitched 1.2 innings and allowed three hits, but no runs to improve to 4-1.

Kyle Williamson went 3 for 4 and drove in the first run of the game for MSU. Geordie McDougall went 2 for 5 for the Beavers.

MSU will look to rebound with a four-game set against rival University of Mary on the weekend. The Beavers will host Alumni Day and honor its seniors Saturday and finishes off the home portion of its schedule Sunday. Game times both days are set for 12 and 2:30 p.m. at Corbett Field.

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.