NSIC baseball showcased two of the top three teams including Wayne State College on Tuesday.
From the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex, WSC welcomed #4 Minnesota State-Mankato during a weekday doubleheader.
Wayne State College played to a 4-0 loss in the first game followed by an 18-2 loss in game two which totaled 14 walks issued by WSC. The Wildcats have now dropped three straight falling to 26-20 (22-15 NSIC) while #4 Minnesota State-Mankato improved to 41-5 (33-4 NSIC).
In the opening game, the visiting Mavericks posted single runs in the top of the first and second innings to lead 2-0.
Following a scoreless third, Minnesota State-Mankato added a single run in the top of the fourth.
Neither team scored in the fifth while the Mavericks closed scoring with one more run in the top of the sixth.
Final favored #4 Minnesota State-Mankato winning 4-0 while outing Wayne State College, 8-4. WSC committed the lone error of the game.
Junior Nate Cunningham doubled to lead WSC.
Redshirt junior Cam Madsen, senior Quinn McCafferty and sophomore Brayden Chaney all singled.
Sophomore Kyler Hanson (80 pitches) suffered the loss in five and a third innings allowing four runs (three earned) off eight hits while striking out four batters, walking one and hitting three.
Sophomore Braden Sweet (22) worked two-thirds of an inning walking two batters as junior Clement Febus (21) closed out the final inning striking out, walking and hitting one batter each.
During the second outing, neither team scored in the first inning until #4 Minnesota State-Mankato drove in two runs during the top of the second inning and tallied a single run in the top of the third to lead 3-0.
Following a scoreless fourth, the Mavericks added three more runs in the top of the fifth.
Wayne State College produced their only two runs of the game a half of an inning later. Senior Taylor Gill recorded a sac-fly RBI bringing in Madsen as McCafferty also had a sac-fly RBI scoring senior Chase Douglas.
Minnesota State-Mankato closed the game with three runs in the top of the sixth, one run in the seventh and an eight-run top of the eighth.
Final favored the visiting Mavericks winning 18-2 while outhitting WSC, 15-6. #4 Minnesota State-Mankato committed the only two errors of the game.
Chase Douglas singled, doubled and scored while junior Braden Cannon doubled. Taylor Gill and Quinn McCafferty accounted for the lone RBI for WSC.
Sophomore Max Heard, redshirt freshman Ethan Nguyen and junior Casey Prychak all singled as Cam Madsen scored.
The Wildcats used seven pitchers as senior Tyson Romero (83 pitches) suffered the loss in four and a third innings allowing five earned runs off five hits while walking three batters and hitting one.
Sophomore Conlin Grady (15) followed for two-thirds allowing an earned run off two hits while walking one batter. Junior Keinan Lentell (20) worked an inning allowing three earned runs off three hits while walking one batter. Redshirt freshman Brooks Kneifl (29) pitched an inning allowing an earned run off two hits while walking two batters.
Senior Eli Crnkovich (22) didn't record an out allowing five earned runs off two hits while walking three batters. Junior Adam Eggert (24) came in for a third of an inning allowing three earned runs off one hit while striking out one batter and walking three. Senior Kadyn Van Hill (14) closed out the final two-thirds walking and hitting one batter each.
