MINOT, ND – Matt Malone provided the dramatic end to a perfect day on the diamond for the Minot State baseball team, blasting a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Beavers a sweep of visiting Minnesota Duluth on Sunday at Corbett Field in NSIC action.
Minot State (24-11 overall, 15-8 NSIC) took the nightcap 12-10 on Malone's homer, and won the day's first game 4-2.
The two teams are back in action at noon on Monday playing the finale of their three-game series at Corbett Field.
GAME 1 | Minot State 4, Minnesota-Duluth 2
MINOT, ND -- The Minot State Beavers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Sunday.
Junior Craig Schmich (4-2) started on the mound and picked up the win for Minot State. The right-hander went five innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on nine hits, allowing no walks and striking out five. Junior Austin Loeb also made an impact on the mound for the Beavers, throwing one shutout inning while allowing one hit, with no walks and three strikeouts.
Sophomore Dalin Ludlow led the way offensively for the Beavers, going 3-for-3 in the ballgame. Junior Javier Gutierrez compiled a noteworthy performance at the dish as well, going 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Junior Brent Riddle also contributed, going 1-for-4 for Minot State with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Riddle's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run inning for Minot State.
The Bulldogs then gained ground, narrowing the lead to 2-1 until the Beavers expanded their advantage in the fifth. Minot State brought home a pair, with one run driven in by Gutierrez's single, which brought the score to 4-1 in favor of the Beavers.
Minnesota Duluth put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but Minot State still held on for the 4-2 win.
GAME NOTES
» Ludlow picked up three base hits in the game for Minot State.
» Schmich struck out five Bulldogs hitters.
» The Beavers had control of the rest of the game after jumping ahead of the Bulldogs 2-0 in the bottom of the second.
» Minot State went 3-for-6 (.500) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers limited Minnesota-Duluth to just 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 30 Minnesota-Duluth hitters in the game, allowing four ground balls and six fly balls while striking out eight.
» Ludlow led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-3.
» Minnesota Duluth was led offensively by senior Pokornowski, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
» Senior Brayden Buttweiler led the Bulldogs pitching staff, throwing six innings of four-run ball.
GAME 2 | Minot State 12, Minnesota-Duluth 10
MINOT, ND -- The Minot State Beavers fought back from a seven-run deficit to win in thrilling fashion, rallying to secure a 12-10 walk-off victory in the 11th inning over the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on Sunday.
Senior Bryant Bagshaw (6-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Minot State. The right-hander went two shutout innings without giving up a hit, no walks and striking out one. Sophomore Jonah Prokott also pitched well, going three innings, surrendering two runs, both earned, on two hits, walking one and striking out five.
Junior Brent Riddle led the way offensively for the Beavers, going 4-for-5 in the ballgame with a double, a home run, a walk and two RBI. Junior Gunnar Kozlowitz put together a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and four RBI. Senior Derek Kay also helped out, going 3-for-5 for Minot State with a home run, a walk and two RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 3-0, the Beavers first put runs on the board in the first inning. Minot State got an RBI single from senior Matt Malone, scoring Riddle from third base.
The Bulldogs expanded their lead to 8-1 before the Beavers offense got back to work, cutting into that lead in the third. Minot State scored three runs, all of them coming on a three-run homer off the bat of Kozlowitz, scoring Riddle and Kay, which brought the score to 8-4 in favor of the Bulldogs.
Minnesota Duluth built their lead to 10-4 before the Minot State offense got going, reducing that lead to 10-8 in the seventh. The Beavers bats heated up in the inning, scoring four runs, including a two-run home run off the bat of Riddle.
Minot State held the Bulldogs off the board before tying it up in the eighth. The Beavers scored twice on Kay's two-run homer, tying the score at 10-10.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the 11th, when Minot State walked it off on Malone's one-out two-run home run off of freshman Henry Wilkinson.
GAME NOTES
» Riddle compiled four hits on the day for Minot State.
» Junior Trevyn Badger struck out seven Bulldogs hitters and Prokott fanned five for the Beavers.
» The Beavers had both Kozlowitz and Riddle crush multiple extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Kozlowitz drove in four runs for Minot State.
» The Minot State pitching staff combined to strike out 13 Minnesota Duluth hitters.
» Minot State's highest-scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed four runs across.
» Five Beavers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Minot State hitters hit four homers in the ballgame.
» The Beavers had a total of 15 hits.
» The Beavers out-hit the Bulldogs at a 15-11 clip.
» Minot State went 5-for-11 (.455) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 46 Minnesota Duluth hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out 13.
» Riddle led the Beavers at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI.
» Minnesota Duluth was led offensively by senior Tim Pokornowski, who went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI.
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