After nearly three weeks between season-opening competition and their second weekend of action, the Wayne State College baseball team began league play on a neutral field.
From Pueblo, Colorado, WSC took on Minnesota Crookston during NSIC play opening a four-game series Saturday late afternoon and were listed as the road team in the series.
Wayne State College picked up a 12-1 victory over Minnesota Crookston to improve to 2-3 (1-0 NSIC) as the Golden Eagles fell to 1-3 (0-1 NSIC).
Following a scoreless first inning, Wayne State College began by scoring twice in the second inning. Junior Gabe Monosmith drove in senior Taylor Gill while senior Quinn McCafferty scored off a junior Braden Cannon groundout.
The Wildcats then doubled their lead thanks to two more runs in the top of the third when McCafferty drove in sophomore Max Heard and Gill. WSC then gave up their lone run of the game in the home half of the third to remain ahead at 4-1.
After neither team scored in the fourth, Wayne State College plated two more runs in the fifth as Heard scored on a wild pitch and Gill scored on a fielder’s choice as two more in the sixth came off a two-run home run from Cannon scoring senior Chase Douglas.
The Wildcats closed with a four-run seventh thanks to a two RBI double by Cannon scoring sophomore Brayden Chaney and senior Kaden Young as Douglas doubled and drove in junior Casey Prychak and Cannon.
Final favored Wayne State College winning 12-1, outhitting UMC, 14-5 and committing two errors compared to zero by the Golden Eagles.
Monosmith posted three singles and drove in two runs; Heard recorded a two-run home run, doubled and scored three total runs; Douglas tripled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored as Cannon doubled, drove in three runs and scored.
Other multi-hits came from Gill with two singles and three runs scored as McCafferty singled twice, drove in two runs and scored.
Young singled and scored; redshirt sophomore Noah Strizek singled as Chaney and Prychak both scored.
Senior Jackson Shelburne (pitch count NA) picked up the win in six and two-thirds allowing an earned run of five hits while striking out seven batters, walking two and hitting two. Senior Jacob Kneifl recorded the final out being a flyout.
