With a single nine inning outing closing out on the regular season schedule for the weekend on May 3, Wayne State College played in their final doubleheader ahead of postseason play.
From the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex, the Wildcat baseball team welcomed Winona State University on May 2.
Wayne State College picked up an 8-0 win in game one before holding onto an 8-4 victory to close out the doubleheader. WSC improved to 28-20 (24-15 NSIC) as the Warriors fell to (22-27/18-21 NSIC).
In the opening game, Wayne State College started with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Max Heard posted a RBI base hit driving in senior Chase Douglas.
The Wildcats added three runs in the second to go up 4-0. Junior Braden Cannon started with a RBI bunt single bringing in sophomore Brayden Chaney, senior Kaden Young scored off a wild pitch and redshirt junior Cam Madsen used a RBI groundout driving in Cannon.
Following back-to-back scoreless innings, WSC plated a single run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a RBI double by Heard allowing Douglas to score.
The Wildcats closed out the game with three more runs in the home half of the sixth. Douglas tacked on a RBI base hit scoring Cannon, junior Casey Prychak scored off a fielder’s choice and senior Taylor Gill recorded a RBI base hit driving in Madsen.
Final favored Wayne State College winning 8-0 while outhitting WSU, 12-2. Winona State University committed the lone two errors.
Chase Douglas singled twice, doubled, drove in a run and scored twice; Max Heard singled, doubled and drove in two runs as Braden Cannon singled, doubled, drove in a run and scored twice. Taylor Gill also singled twice and drove in a run.
Brayden Chaney and Kaden Young both singled and scored; senior Quinn McCafferty singled; Cam Madsen accounted for a RBI and run scored as Casey Prychak scored.
Junior Clay Beaumont (59 pitches) picked up the win in four innings allowing one hit while striking out one batter and walking three. Senior Josh Kilzer (53) recorded his first save of the season in the final three innings allowing one hit while striking four batters and walking one.
During the second outing, neither team scored until Wayne State College started with a single run in the home half of the third inning. Prychak recorded a solo homerun.
Following a scoreless fourth, the Wildcats added three more runs in the fifth to go up 4-0. Cannon scored off an error, Douglas tallied a RBI base hit driving in Madsen as Heard used a sac-fly RBI scoring Douglas.
Winona State brought in a run during the top of the sixth.
WSC answered with another three-run inning a half of an inning later. Young posted a two-run homerun driving in Chaney as Douglas added a RBI base hit allowing redshirt freshman Connor Hunt to score.
Wayne State College scored once more in the bottom of the seventh to lead 8-1 thanks to Chaney crossing the plate on a wild pitch.
Winona State University caught fire late with a single run in the top of the eighth and two runs in the ninth.
Final favored Wayne State College winning 8-4 while outhitting the Warriors, 13-9. Both teams committed two errors.
Chase Douglas singled twice, doubled, drove in two runs and scored; Braden Cannon added three singles and one run scored; Casey Prychak posted a solo homerun and singled as Kaden Young tallied a two-run homerun. Cam Madsen also singled twice and scored.
Max Heard singled and drove in a run; senior Tyler Obrecht singled; Brayden Chaney scored twice as Connor Hunt scored.
Senior Jackson Shelburne (60 pitches) picked up the win in five innings allowing three hits while striking out four batters. Senior Jacob Kneifl (18) worked an inning and a third allowing an earned run off two hits. Jacob Kneifl broke the career appearance record with his 66th game on the mound for the Wildcats. The previous record of 65 was held by Nick Schumacher (2004-08).
Junior Keinan Lentell (39) pitched an inning and two-thirds allowing one run off two hits while striking out two batters and walking one. Sophomore Conlin Grady (31) closed out the final inning allowing two earned runs off two hits while striking out and hitting one batter each.
