SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The greatest regular season in Minot State history came to an end on Friday night as Concordia-St. Paul eliminated the Beavers from the 2018 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament with a 4-2 win at Karras Field.
Minot State, which fought its way through three elimination games, will await word of a possible NCAA Tournament bid on Sunday night when the field is announced beginning at 9 p.m.
Minot State 4, Northern State 1
In the Beavers first game of the day, Minot State rode the pitching of
Reilly O'Rourke and a three-run seventh inning to eliminate the Wolves 4-1.
O'Rourke worked 5.0 scoreless innings before turning the game over to the bullpen. O'Rourke allowed five hits and struck out four batters in keeping Northern State off the scoreboard.
Tannar Galey was just as masterful as he worked 3.0 innings and allowed just one hit and struck out two batters.
Jack Gamba worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to nail down the win and earn his fifth save of the season.
The Wolves used a two-base error, a base hit and a walk to load the bases with one out. Gamba entered the game and Northern State scored its first run of the game on a passed ball to climb to within 4-1. Gamba then struck out the final two batters of the game to clinch the win for the Beavers.
Minot State took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning.
With two outs,
Wyatt Schlosser doubled to left and
Celestino Rodriguez followed with a single to bring home Schlosser with the Beavers first run of the day.
Minot State then scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning to expand the lead to 4-0.
Darrel Doll and
Justin Demary opened the inning with singles and
Kyle Williamson followed with a double to score Doll and up the Beavers lead to 2-0.
Ethan Fleming drew a walk to load the bases and
Trevaun Smith brought home the Beavers third run of the game when he was hit by a pitch.
Michael Borst capped the scoring when he drew a walk that plated Williamson and increased the lead to 4-0.
Schlosser and Rodriguez led the Beavers offense with a pair of hits, while Doll, Demary and Williamson each had base hits.
Concordia-St. Paul 4, Minot State 2
Concordia-St. Paul used a four-run fifth inning to eliminate the Beavers from the 2018 NSIC Tournament.
Minot State, which concludes the regular season with a 34-16 overall record, jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Schlosser belted his fifth home run of the season to left.
The Beavers increased the lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning with another run. Demary opened the frame with a single and Williamson followed with a double putting runners on second and third with no outs.
Dustin Wilcox then hit a RBI single to shortstop to bring home Demary upping the Beavers lead.
Concordia-St. Paul, which will meet Augustana for the NSIC Championship, finally broke through against the Beavers in the top of the fifth inning. Isaac Hormann keyed the inning for the Golden Bears with a two-run single.
Louie Varland then took over on the mound for the Golden Bears and was outstanding over the final four innings. He allowed just one hit and struck out nine to finish off Minot State.
Schlosser led the Beavers with a pair of base hits, while Rodriguez, Doll, Demary, Williamson and Wilcox all picked up base hits.
