Wayne, NE (NSUWolves.com) – After falling behind early and suffering an 8-5 loss in game one, the Northern State baseball team bounced back with another monstrous offensive performance in a 14-10 game two victory over Minnesota Duluth. The Wolves plated 14 runs for the second time in their past three games, powered by three homeruns by the trio of Reece Ragatz, Easton Rerick, and Austin Portner. Complete box scores from today’s game will be posted when available.

THE QUICK DETAILS

Final Score Game 1: NSU 5, UMD 8

Final Score Game 2: NSU 14, UMD 10

Records: NSU 7-14 (2-8 NSIC), UMD 11-13 (4-6 NSIC)

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1

• A pair of homeruns by Minnesota Duluth’s Tim Pokornowski gave the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead after two innings of play and UMD would push another run across the plate in the third to make it 4-0 early on in game one
• Northern State was able to get on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning as an RBI single by Karson Hesser scored Kai Brisk to cut the Bulldog lead to 4-1, however in the bottom half of the inning UMD would plate three more runs to extend the lead to 7-1
• The Wolves responded quickly with a 3-run inning of their own in the top of the fifth inning as Austin Portner, Reece Ragatz, and Brisk each recorded an RBI single to score Jordan DeMarce, Jackson Meyer, and Portner respectively to cut the deficit to 7-4
• Duluth added one in the bottom of the sixth before Northern capped the scoring in game one with a solo homerun by Portner to end the scoring at 8-5 in favor of UMD
• Northern State scored their five runs off ten hits and committed one error defensively
• In his seventh start of the season Michael Chevalier suffered the loss on the mound after pitching 3.0 innings with five strikeouts
• Tyler Boyum made his fourth relief appearance of the season for the Wolves, throwing a game-high six strikeouts in 3.0 innings pitched

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS – GAME 1

Austin Portner: 2 hits, 1 homerun, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored

Reece Ragatz: 2 hits, 1 RBI

Jack Paulson: 2 hits

Tyler Boyum: 3.0 innings pitched, 6 strikeouts

HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2

• Northern State started the scoring early in game two as Andrew Wedwick hit an RBI double to score two runs, and Karson Hesser notched an RBI single to bring Wedwick home and make the game 3-0 after the top of the first
• Minnesota Duluth had a quick response to with a five run bottom of the first before Reece Ragatz grabbed the momentum back for Northern with a 2-run homerun to tie the game in the top of the second
• Easton Rerick gave NSU the lead for good in the top of the third with a 2-run homerun and Austin Portner would follow him up a few at bats later with his first homerun of the season, a 2-run homerun to give the Wolves a 9-5 advantage
• Duluth would get one run back in the bottom of the third, however Niko Pezonella would advance home on a balk in the top the fourth to make the game 10-6 in the top of the fourth
• The Wolves pushed another run across the plate in the top of the fifth inning as Wedwick hit an RBI single to score Portner and extend the lead to 11-6
• The Bulldogs cut the Northern State lead to two runs in the bottom of the fifth as they scored three runs to make the score 11-9
• Northern responded quick to get all three runs back in the top of the sixth and push the lead back to 14-9 as a hit by pitch drawn by Portner allowed Drew Benson to score, Ragatz batted into a fielder’s choice to score Jackson Meyer, and Jordan DeMarce crossed the plate on a wild pitch
• Minnesota Duluth capped the scoring in game two with one run to cut the NSU lead to 14-10
• Northern State scored their 14 runs off 12 hits and committed two errors defensively
• In his sixth start of the season, Zach Carolin earned the win on the mound after pitching 4.1 innings with six strikeouts
• Black Ask pitched two scoreless innings to close out the win as he made his seventh relief appearance of the season for the Wolves

NORTHERN STATE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS – GAME 2

Andrew Wedwick: 3 hits, 1 double, 3 RBI

Easton Rerick: 2 hits, 2 walks, 1 homerun, 2 RBI

Zach Carolin: 4.1 innings pitched, 6 strikeouts, win (2-2)

UP NEXT

Northern State and Minnesota Duluth will decide the series winner with game three of the NSIC match-up tomorrow at 12 p.m. at the Pete Chapman Baseball Complex on the campus of Wayne State College.