PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Minot State baseball team earned a split on the opening day of the 2018 season, as the Beavers fell 3-2 in game one before bouncing back to win 7-4 in game two at Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, Kan. on Saturday afternoon.
Minot State is 1-1 on the season while the Gorillas are now 4-4.
Game One
Pittsburg State scored first in game one, as the Gorillas scored two unearned runs off two Beaver errors in the bottom of the second inning to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Gorillas added one run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a Minot State fielding error to take a 3-0 lead after seven innings.
After a
Wyatt Schlosser groundout,
Trevaun Smith reached on a walk and advanced to second on a throwing error. Smith also advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt.
Minot State loaded the bases after
Dustin Wilcox and
Geordie McDougall walked.
Kyle Williamson cut the Pitt State lead down to two with an RBI groundout. The Beavers tacked on another run after
Zack Kunkel reached on a throwing error by the third baseman that allowed
Dustin Wilcox to score.
Darrell Doll led off the ninth inning with a triple, but was called out for missing second base. The next two batters reached as
Celestino Rodriguez was hit by pitch and Schlosser walked. With two runners on, Smith struck out swinging, followed by Wilcox flying out to centerfield.
Justin Demary suffered the loss on the mound while giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits and striking out seven batters in seven innings of work.
Doll led the Beavers at the plate with two hits while
Michael Borst added one hit. Williamson recorded the lone RBI for Minot State.
Game Two
Williamson led off the second game of the doubleheader with a home run over the left field fence. Kunkel followed with a double down the right field line. After advancing to third on a Borst flyout, Kunkel scored, as Doll reached first on a Pitt State fielding error.
Trailing 2-0, the Gorillas responded with three runs on four hits to take a 3-2 lead after three innings. Pitt State added one final run in the bottom of the fourth inning off an RBI single to right field.
Minot State rallied for five runs in the top of the fifth inning to re-gain the lead. With two runners on, Doll smacked a home run to right field to take a 5-4 lead.
Andrew Black singled home
Caleb Fornshell who came in to pinch run after Rodriguez reached on a single. Schlosser scored the final run of the game, as McDougall drew a bases-loaded walk.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Pitt State put together a rally, but the Beavers managed to allow no runs to come home. The Gorillas posted back-to-back singles before being retired on a strike out and flyout to right field.
McDougall led the Beavers at the plate with two hits while Doll notched a team-high four RBI and one home run. Williamson also homered and added one RBI. Other Beavers recording a hit were Kunkel, Rodriguez and Black.
Zach Newman started on the mound for Minot State, pitching three innings while giving up four runs on eight hits.
Wyatt Moore earned the win for Minot State. Moore pitched the final four innings while striking out two batters and yielding five hits.
Minot State returns to the diamond tomorrow, as the Beavers and Pitt State will play a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. The games were moved to a doubleheader tomorrow with rain in the forecast on Monday.
