It was a forgettable Monday for Sioux Falls baseball as the host Wayne State Wildcats won both ends of the twinbill against USF on Monday afternoon at the Pete Chapman Complex, 5-3 and 13-3.
Gunner Peterson had three hits to pace USF (14-13, 8-6 NSIC) at the plate, while WSC junior shortstop Zak Leighton was 5 for 8 for the Wildcats (15-11, 8-4 NSIC), who claimed the four-game series 3-1.
Game One
Noah Durkin opened the game with a lead-off double to left field, moved to third on a sacrifice and would score on a wild pitch from Wildcats starter Dylan McGill to put the Cougars up 1-0.
USF would plate more two runs in the third inning. Junior Jordan Jeske drew a one-out walk before Brandon Truesdell belted his first career home run to propel USF to a 3-0 lead.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Wayne State came right back in the home half of the third against freshman southpaw Elijah Thornquist. Schleppenbac began the frame with a lead-off walk before Leighton and Nolen laced back-to-back doubles to score two runs. Thornquist got two quick outs on fly balls to the outfield but McIntee ripped a liner down the left field line for an RBI double that tied the game at 3-3.
The Cougars were poised to retake the lead in the very next inning when Peterson and Jeske both singled to put men on first and second with no outs, but a double-play wiped out two baserunners and the Wildcats picked Jeske off the keystone base to stifle the threat.
Thornquist worked around a pair of singles in the fifth, but allowed a lead-off base hit in the sixth before reliever Austin Goodenow was brought into the game. After a wild pitch, Leighton dropped an RBI single into left, stole second and moved to third with the help of a Cougar error. Perez followed with a sacrifice fly to give Wayne State a 5-3 lead.
Wildcat reliever Curtis Bussard pitched a hitless seventh to earn his fourth save of the season to preserve Wayne State's 5-3 win.
WSC junior reliever Ryan Zweck (3-1) worked the sixth inning to get the win, allowing one hit. Starter Dylan McGill yielded three runs on six hits over four innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
Thornquist (1-3) took the loss for yielding four runs on seven hits, while walking three and striking out a pair.
Game Two
Wayne State batted around early and late, scoring three runs in the third inning and seven in their half of the sixth enroute to a 13-3 victory over the Cougars.
Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third, USF scored two runs with an RBI double by Durkin followed by Dylan Dwyer's RBI knock to right field. Wayne State answered with two runs in the bottom of the third and the teams traded single runs in the fourth inning to make the score 6-3.
WSC then exploded for seven runs on seven hits and two USF errors in the sixth inning to chase USF junior righty Eric Brothers (1-3) and put the game out of reach.
WSC had 15 hits in the second game, while USF finished with six. Ryan Fobes went 2-for-2 and Durkin, Dwyer and Anthony Lopez each batted in a run.
WSC junior right hander Nick Ragan (1-2) pitched six innings to earn the win, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Brothers (1-3) was tagged with the loss, giving up 10 runs on 10 hits in five innings. He walked six and struck out two.
USF will host Augustana College Wednesday evening at Harmodon Field. First pitch of the double-header is scheduled for 5 p.m.
