ST. GEORGE, Kan. -- Junior Mark Ossanna put together an outstanding performance at the plate Monday, hitting two home runs to help power the Minot State Beavers over the Sioux Falls Cougars 17-4 in 7 innings in the conclusion of an NSIC 3-game series.
Junior Gage Yost (2-0) got the win for Minot State (12-3 overall, 3-0 NSIC). The right-hander went four innings, giving up four runs, all of them earned, on two hits, allowing seven walks and striking out three. Junior Cameron Bagshaw also pitched well, going two shutout innings while allowing one hit, walking two and striking out three.
Ossanna went 2-for-4 at the plate, supplementing his two home runs with three RBIs. Senior Derek Kay added to Ossanna's awesome power-hitting performance by going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI. Junior Javier Gutierrez also chipped in for the Beavers, going 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBI.
The Beavers next play a doubleheader on Thursday against Augustana starting at 11 a.m. The games were moved back two days, and the location of the games moved to the campus of Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa, with the Vikings scheduled as the home team.
COACHES COMMENTS
"Guys played really hard," Minot State coach Sam Boisner said. "They did a great job of putting the ball in play offensively. Our pitchers did a great job of holding them to four runs on a very good hitting day.
"Proud of our players resilience after a really hard couple days of travel."
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got the scoring started early, putting runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Minot State scored three runs in the frame, highlighted by a two-run homer from Ossanna.
The Cougars failed to push any runs across before the Beavers built on their lead in the third inning. Minot State scored three times, with an output that included home runs from both Kay and Gutierrez, which brought the score to 6-0 in favor of the Beavers.
Sioux Falls narrowed Minot State's lead to 6-4 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 9-4 in the fifth inning. The Beavers scored three times, with an output that included back-to-back homers from junior Gunnar Kozlowitz and Ossanna.
Minot State held the Cougars scoreless before their offense got back to their scoring ways the next inning. The Beavers drove in a run on sophomore Miles Iverson's leadoff home run off junior Derek Lundgren, bringing the score to 10-4 in favor of Minot State.
The Beavers kept Sioux Falls off the scoreboard before building on their lead to 17-4 the following inning. The Minot State offense piled up seven runs, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of senior Matt Malone and a two-run single from junior Martin Rodriquez. The score remained 17-4 for the rest of the game, as the Beavers coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» The Beavers got two home runs off the bat of Ossanna.
» Kay racked up four hits on the day for Minot State.
» The Beavers had three players put together games with multiple extra-base hits.
» Three different Beavers drove in three runs.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed seven runs across.
» Minot State took a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Five Beavers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Minot State hitters hit six homers in the ballgame.
» The Beavers had a total of 16 hits.
» The Beavers out-hit the Cougars at a 16-3 clip.
» Minot State went 6-for-11 (.545) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers limited Sioux Falls to just 1-for-10 (.100) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 35 Sioux Falls hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and two fly balls while striking out seven.
» Ossanna led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI.
» Sioux Falls was led offensively by junior Brady Klehr, who went 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
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Minot State No. 10 in latest Central Region poll
Off to an impressive 12-3 overall record, the Minot State baseball team found itself voted into the Central Region Top 10 this week as announced by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
The Beavers, who were among other receiving votes previously, landed at No. 10 this week in the poll with 28 points.
Missouri Southern State remained No. 1 in the poll with 131 points and 7 first-place votes, while Southern Arkansas held strong at No. 2 with 124 points and 2 first-place votes, and Arkansas Tech remained No. 3 with 118 points and 2 first-place votes, as well.
Central Missouri was No. 4 with 116 points and 4 first-place votes, Minnesota State, Mankato was No. 5 with 99 points, Pittsburg State was No. 6 with 54 points, Ouachita Baptist was No. 7 with 51 points, Washburn was No. 8 with 41 points, and Central Oklahoma was No. 9 with 33 points.
