With Friday late afternoon precipitation in the forecast, the Wayne State College home NSIC baseball series began Friday afternoon.
From the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex, WSC entertained Minnesota Duluth.
Run production started early and then came back late for Wayne State College in a 13-6 home victory. WSC has now won four straight improving to 15-11 (11-6 NSIC) while the Bulldogs dropped their fourth straight falling to 12-14 (8-9 NSIC).
Wayne State College began by scoring one run in the home half of the first. Senior Kaden Young used a RBI bases loaded walk scoring redshirt junior Cam Madsen.
Minnesota Duluth answered quickly with one run in the top of the second.
WSC followed with a four-run home half of the second inning. Senior Chase Douglas used a two-RBI triple scoring redshirt freshman Connor Hunt and Madsen; senior Quinn McCafferty drove in Douglas as junior Braden Cannon added a RBI bases loaded walk scoring senior Taylor Gill.
The Wildcats added one run the next inning to lead 6-1 when Douglas drove in Hunt.
Minnesota Duluth began to chip away at the deficit with two runs in the top of the fourth.
Following a scoreless fifth, UMD plated one run in the sixth and then scored their two final runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 6-6.
The Wildcats would bring three runs across the plate the next half inning to take control back. Junior Casey Prychak utilized a sac-fly RBI scoring McCafferty followed by a two-RBI base hit from Hunt driving in Young.
WSC closed with four more runs in the home half of the eighth. McCafferty posted a three-RBI double scoring Douglas, sophomore Max Heard and Gill as Young doubled in McCafferty.
Final in the nine-inning outing favored Wayne State College winning 13-6 and outhitting Minnesota Duluth, 14-12. WSC committed two errors compared to one error by the Bulldogs.
Chase Douglas singled twice, tripled, drove in three runs and scored twice; Connor Hunt singled three times, drove in two runs and scored twice; Quinn McCafferty singled, doubled, drove in four runs and scored twice as Kaden Young singled, doubled, drove in two runs and scored. Max Heard also singled twice and scored.
Cam Madsen and Taylor Gill both singled and scored twice; Braden Cannon accounted for a RBI and run scored as Casey Prychak added a RBI.
Redshirt freshman Wayne native Brooks Kneifl (21) picked up his second win as a Wildcat in an inning of relief allowing two earned runs off two hits while striking out two batters and walking one.
Senior Jackson Shelburne (89 pitches) started the opening five innings allowing three runs (one earned) off six hits while striking out four batters, walking one and hitting one. Senior and Wayne native Jacob Kneifl (11) worked an inning allowing an earned run off one hit. Junior Keinan Lentell (20) closed out the final two innings allowing three hits.
