MINOT, N.D. – Despite a big day from Matthew Minnick, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (12-22, 9-15 NSIC) dropped a pair of NSIC decisions to Minot State (20-12-15-9 NSIC), on Friday at Corbett Field in Minot.  The Cougars dropped a 7-6 decision in game one (seven innings) and then fell 12-6 in a slugfest in game two (nine innings).

As a result, MiSU was able to sweep the Cougars and push USF's losing skid to seven games. The Cougars will close out the eight-game road trip with a doubleheader at the University of Mary on Wednesday, April 19, beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Minnick finished the doubleheaders with five hits in nine at bats for a .625 average. He scored three runs had had his 17th RBI of the season. With his hot surge today, Minnick has pushed his season average to .292 as he has hit .359 over the past 21 games.  Gunner Peterson, Anthony Lopez and Austin Richey all had three hits on the day while Lopez had a team-best three RBI.

The Cougars hit .304 as a team with 12 runs and 21 hits. Over the four-game series with MiSU, USF's offense was solid at .313 with 26 runs on 42 hits. Minnick led the way with a .438 average, collecting seven hits in 16 at bats. Rob Johnson, Lopez, Peterson and Brent Jarvis also had five hits over the four-game series. USF, which is now hitting .303 as a team on the year, has now scored six or more runs 17 times and had 10 or more hits in 19 games, including seven of the past nine contests.

G1 – MiSU 7 USF 6 (7 innings)

Despite a six-run sixth inning, USF dropped a 7-6 decision to MiSU in the opener. After the Beavers led, 5-0 after five innings, USF answered with a six-run sixth inning, including seven hits. Down 6-5 in the seventh, MiSU scored two runs in the sixth inning as the Beavers retook the lead and won the third straight game in the series, including two one-run decisions (5-4, 7-6). USF dropped to 6-4 in single run games this year.

USF starter Zak Wallner fell to 1-2 on the season after throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing 10 hits and seven runs with six strikeouts. Wallner had a rough start as MiSU jumped to a 4-0 lead, using five hits in the first inning for the advantage. He did not allow another run until late in the contest as the Beavers put up three runs combined in the sixth and seventh innings. Stuart Maes worked 2/3 of an inning, allowing two hits in facing four batters. MiSU's Aaron Kern (1-1) picked up the win in relief as he allowed just a hit in 1 1/3 innings.

USF's offense was led Austin Richey with two hits and a run scored while Lopez and Peterson both had two hits and an RBI. MiSU had three hits from Sean Alp, including the game tying double in the sixth inning. Wyatt Schlosser had two hits and the game-winning RBI.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Beavers grabbed a 4-0 lead, using five hits, including RBI from Celestino Rodriquez, Schlosser and Michael Borst. After a tough first inning, Wallner settled down as he and MiSU's Kendal Daniel participated in a pitching duel, which lasted until the sixth inning. A base hit by Richey broke up Daniel's no-hitter in the fourth inning.

In the fifth frame, the Cougars loaded the bases with two outs but were unable to break through. However, USF rallied in the sixth inning, putting together six runs on seven hits along with two reached by walk and hit by pitch. After Minnick reached on a walk, Richey, Crow, and Lopez singled as Minnick scored to cut the lead to 5-1. After a pitching change by MiSU, Connor Merriam was hit by a pitch and Peterson singled as the Beavers' lead shrunk to 5-3. A fielder's choice ground out by Noah Durkin scored Lopez. Rehwaldt's two-run single helped USF to a 6-5 advantage and its first lead of the game. But, the lead was short-lived as MiSU answered in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring two runs and then holding off the Cougars in the seventh inning.

G2 – MiSU 12 USF 6 (9 innings)

Despite a four-hit game from Minnick, the Cougars were outslugged as MiSU picked up a 12-6 decision in game two.

After USF scored three runs in the first inning, the Beavers answered with six tallies in the bottom half of the frame. MiSU added two runs in the fourth, and a run in the fifth inning for a 9-3 lead. USF pushed three runs across in the sixth inning to cut the advantage to 9-6. MiSU responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame and added one in the bottom of the eighth inning to close out the scoring.

Minnick had his most productive day of the season with his eighth career four-hit game and his 41st career multi-hit game. He also scored two runs and had an RBI to lead the offense.  Johnson also had a pair of hits for USF, which had 11 hits.

Dylan Gavin (0-2) started and took the loss for the Cougars as he allowed five hits and six runs, although just three were earned, in one inning of work. Then, USF went to bullpen by committee as Dan Johnson worked two scoreless innings followed by Cody Blackwell with two innings of work (three runs, three hits, strikeout) and Stuart Maes, who finished with three innings of relief, allowing two hits and two runs. Michael LaCroix (1-1) picked up the win after going five innings and allowing seven hits and five runs. Wyatt Moore finished for MiSU, earning a save after going four innings and allowing four hits and an unearned run with two strikeouts.

USF jumped out to a 3-0 start as Minnick had a run-scoring single to plate Jarvis, who singled with one out. Lopez stroked a two-run double to score Rehwaldt, who had doubled, and Minnick for the 3-0 advantage. MiSU answered back in the bottom of the first inning with six runs, including a three-run homer by Jarrod Adams, his second of the series.

USF scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to cut MiSU's lead to 9-6. Minnick opened the inning with a single and scored on Richey's RBI single. Later Richey and Johnson, who doubled, both scored on an error by the Beavers outfield.