The Sioux Falls baseball team (7-15, 2-6 NSIC) split a Good Friday doubleheader vs. University of Minnesota-Duluth (2-15, 2-3 NSIC) today at West High School in Sioux City, Iowa.
In game one, three errors proved more important than out-hitting Minnesota-Duluth, 11-10, as the Bulldogs topped USF, 7-6. The Cougars bounced back to mercy the visitors in game two, 17-7.
In the opener, the Cougars started flat for the second day in a row and found themselves in a 2-0 hole with two innings in the book.
In third, USF starter Noah Coleman induced a 6-4-3 double play after a lead-off walk but would be the victim of his own mistake. Coleman misfired on a sure 1-3 groundout that put a runner on base for UMD freshman Alex Wojciechowski, who deposited a fast ball over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
A pair of Cougar errors in the third allowed UMD to tally a fifth run despite notching a single hit in the frame.
UMD righthander Adam Zwak faced just two batters over the minimum through five innings before the Cougars rallied with a four-run sixth that cut the margin to 5-4. USF tagged the senior with five hits in the frame and banished him to the dugout with no outs on the board. Spencer Diedrich relieved Zwak and stopped the bleeding with three quick outs.
The one-run margin didn't last, as the Bulldogs scored twice in the top of the seventh to lead 7-4. With a man on first with one out USF reliever Damian Kardas hit Wojceichowski and Jimmy Heck followed with a bases-clearing RBI double.
USF donned rally caps in the seventh, but the effort came 90 feet short. Trevor Crow punched a one-out single and later scored on a wild pitch that also moved Noah Durkin to second, who had reached base on an infield single. Keith Cutler doubled with two outs to plate Durkin and put Corey Vasquez on third base. Jeremy Varner fly out to center in the Cougars' next at bat to end the rally and the Bulldogs held on for the 7-6 victory.
Coleman (1-3) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and a strikeout. Kardas provided 2.1 innings of relief and freshman Dylan Rock tossed the final two-thirds and did not allow a hit.
Zwak (1-2) earned the win for UMD.
It appeared as though the Cougars were in for another rough outing in game two. Sophomore Eric Brothers got in trouble early as the Bulldogs touched him for two runs in the first inning.
The Cougars picked up its pitcher in a big way, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. UMD gifted the Cougars two of the scores and Cutler's three-RBI two-bagger did the rest of the damage. The frame started with a base on balls sandwiched by hit by pitches to Ryan Fobes and Corey Vasquez, which loaded the bases for Cutler. The senior designated hitter emptied the bases with a double to center and later scored on an infield single from Dylan Dwyer. Kelby Beste drew a walk and touched home on the shortstop's error to give the Cougars' the 5-2 lead.
The onslaught sent UMD starter Jimmy Heck to the showers and the Bulldogs scratched across two runs in the third to narrow the deficit to 5-4.
USF scored twice in the fifth before blowing the game open with an eight-run eighth inning. The first six Cougars reached base and the scoring spree was highlighted by two-RBI doubles from Durkin, Beste and Zach Ireland. Dwyer's RBI sac fly and Crow's left field single accounted for the other two scores.
Austin Goodenow tossed a hitless sixth inning of relief for USF but the Bulldogs pushed across three runs in the top of the seven, chasing the sidearm specialist.
Steve Schroer relieved Goodenow and the Cougars tacked on two runs in the bottom of the seventh to initiate the 10-run mercy rule. The game was called after Ireland's two-run double created the final 17-7 verdict.
Beste had a monster day for the Cougars. He ended the day 4-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.
The Cougars racked up 17 hits and seven players in all tallied at least two hits. Ireland went 3-for-5 with four RBI in the nightcap, while Cutler was 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Durkin tallied three ribbies on a pair of hits.
Brothers (2-2) worked five innings to earn the win, scattering four runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
USF will face Augustana College on Wednesday.
