Wayne State used a final inning rally and scored the game-winning run on a throwing error to win the opener, then followed with an easy win in the nightcap to complete a four-game NSIC baseball series sweep over the University of Mary Sunday at Millard North High School in Omaha.
The opener saw Wayne State tie and win the game in unusual fashion, on a balk and throwing error respectively, to cap a seventh-inning rally for a 5-4 win.
Mary grabbed the lead early with a three-run first inning before Wayne State scored single runs in the first and second to get within 3-2. Junior shortstop Jake Lorenzini led off the Wildcat first with a solo homer over the left field fence, followed by a Rob Ramsey RBI single in the second to bring home Travis Miller.
The Marauders came up with another run in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead before Wayne State began their comeback in the fifth, as Travis Miller drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Peyton Barnes and trim the Marauder advantage to 4-3.
The Wildcats’ run in the sixth came when Andrew Hanson reached on a third-strike wild pitch. Pinch runner Colin Chick later scored on a balk with two outs and two strikes to tie the score at 4-4.
In the seventh inning, Travis Miller reached on a fielding error by Mary. Later in the inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, designated hitter Rob Ramsey hit a ground ball to shortstop, but the ball was under thrown to first, allowing Miller to score with the game-winning run.
Wayne State had seven hits in the win by seven different players. Lorenzini homered while Barnes, Simons, Miller, Bisenius, Ramsey and Jackson Petersen each singled.
Sophomore reliever Lawson Zenner (1-1) earned the win with one inning of relief, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Starter Charles Hasty worked 5 2/3 innings while reliever Adam Poldberg recorded one out facing three batters.
The second game saw Wayne State score five runs in the first inning as the Wildcats built an early lead and cruised to a 12-5 victory to complete the sweep.
Garrett Graveline’s three-run double highlighted Wayne State’s five-run first to go with an RBI single from Bryce Bisenius.
Bisenius added a two-run single in the second, giving WSC a 7-1 lead. He added a bases-loaded walk in the third inning to go with an RBI fielder’s choice by Barnes to highlight a three-run third that gave the Wildcats a 10-2 lead.
Wayne State added another run in the fifth inning on a David Janes single for an 11-2 lead, but Mary stayed in the game with a three-run seventh to cut the Wildcat advantage to 11-5. Wayne State closed the scoring in the eighth on Alex Logelin’s RBI single to shortstop.
Wayne State had 14 hits in the win, led by Lorenzini going 3 for 5 with three runs scored. Bisenius ended 2-for-3 with four RBI while Graveline finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. Barnes added two hits and scored three runs.
Starter Hunter Wienhoff (1-2) had a strong start to earn the win, recording 11 strikeouts in just six innings of work. He gave up two runs on eight hits without issuing a walk. Relievers Dalton Smith, Jordan Mehl and Spencer Johnson each worked one inning of relief to close the game.
Wayne State (6-8, 4-0 NSIC) returns to action next weekend, hosting Minnesota Duluth Saturday and Sunday in a four-game NSIC series with doubleheaders each day at 12 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex in Wayne.
