Senior Brennden Ward laced a one-out two RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the University of Sioux Falls baseball team to a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over Minot State and a sweep of Friday's doubleheader.
The Cougars would also take game two, 11-2.
With the victories, the Cougars improved to 6-21 overall. The Beavers dropped to 5-23.
In the opener, Minot State starter Cole Stober allowed one hit through two innings and would finish with a quality start and no decision in six innings with just one earned run and seven strikeouts.
USF starter Noah Coleman also pitched very well giving up three runs in the first inning before settling down and allowing a pair of runs in the next four frames to finish with a no decision in five innings with five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
Trailing 3-0 in game one, the Cougars went to work in the bottom of the third. After Ryan Fobes drew a walk to lead-off, he took second on a one-out single by Anthony Williams and then scored on an errant throw by the Beavers' third sacker to cut the deficit to two runs.
The visitors pushed a run across in the fourth to regain a three run lead, but the Cougars responded with three runs in their half of the inning. Noah Coleman earned a lead-off walk and was plated on a RBI base knock by Cougar backstop Dylan Dwyer. Keith Cutler reached first after an error by the MSU left fielder and scored on a sacrifice by Fobes. A two-out single by Austin Goodenow allowed Dwyer, his former high school batterymate, to touch home and tie the game at 4-4.
After a scoreless fifth, the Beavers regained the lead with a two-out RBI single to left field by Jordan Gilmour.
The Cougars were retired in the sixth but rallied in the seventh after a lead-off single to dead center by Williams. Jimmy Maxwell followed suit and Damian Kardas drew an intentional walk to load the bases for Coleman, who reached on a fielder's choice when Williams was tagged out at home. Ward stepped to the plate and chose the perfect time to break out of a 0-for-18 hitting slump that dated to March 10, punching a two RBI two-bagger to center to secure a 6-5 walk-off victory for the Cougar nine.
Junior righty Chris Nichols relieved Coleman in the sixth and earned his first win of the season (1-2), scattering two hits with no earned runs and a pair of strikeouts in two innings of work.
The Cougars held tight to the momentum and never looked back; plating six in the first to cruise to an 11-2 nightcap win.
The Beavers opened the scoring with one run in the top of the first, but a lead-off solo shot by USF sophomore Austin Goodenow set the stage for a Cougar rout, as the home team tallied six runs on five hits in their half of the first and chased MSU starter Austin Zorn after two innings.
USF tacked on single runs in the second, third and sixth plus two in the seventh to create the final margin. Minot earned its second run in the top of the ninth on a two-out double.
Six Cougars posted multi-hit outings. Goodenow, Dwyer, Madsen and Fobes each had two RBI while Williams and Maxwell recorded two hits apiece. The Cougars' 11 runs and 16 hits were both season highs.
Derek Fischer (4-1) earned his fourth win of 2012, allowing one run on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Jeremy Varner and Austin Burke combined for four innings of one run, one hit relief.
USF and Minot State will complete their four-game series on Saturday. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
