Cody Jenkins was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Aiden Breedlove picked up his first collegiate win with 5 1/3 innings of work to lead Wayne State in a 7-5 win over Winona State early Saturday morning at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
The game, which started shortly after 12:30 a.m. and ended at around 3:15 a.m., saw Winona State outhit Wayne State 9-8, but the Wildcats took advantage of eight walks, four hit batters and four wild pitches by five different Winona State pitchers to help score seven runs in the win.
After Winona State took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, Wayne State came back with a four-run third inning to take the lead for good at 4-2. Jenkins produced a two-run double that scored Chris May and Aaron Krier with the first two runs of the inning. David Janes followed with an infield single to shortstop that scored Tanner Simons while Jenkins scored on a Winona State throwing error for the final run of the inning.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, using three hit batters, a walk and wild pitch. Brandon Fowler led off the inning hit by a pitch and scored on a Simons sacrifice fly to left field. Chris May later scored on a Bodie Cooper sacrifice fly to center field for the second run, giving Wayne State a 6-2 lead. Wayne State scored their final run of the game in the fifth when Kyle Thompson singled and scored when Simons was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Winona State used three hits and one Wildcat error to socre three unearned runs in the sixth, but relievers Kyle Kennebeck and Joey Lenihan shut the door on the Warriors the rest of the way, combining for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief as the Wildcats held on for the win.
Jenkins led Wayne State at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Thompson was also 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and run scored. May doubled and had two runs scored.
Breedlove worked 5 1/3 innings to get the win, charged with seven hits and five runs (all unearned) with five strikeouts and one walk. Kennebeck worked the next 2 2/3 innings and allowed just two hits and no runs while Lenihan pitched the final inning and did not yield a hit with two strikeouts and one walk to record his second save of the season.
Wayne State, 4-6, begins Northern Sun Conference play next weekend, hosting Minot State in a four-game series with doubleheaders starting at 12 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex.
