WINONA, Minn. – An offensive explosive matched with a stellar pitching outing from freshman Brandon Roesler fueled the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (3-13, 3-3 NSIC) to a 14-0 win over Winona State (3-10, 2-4 NSIC) in game two of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Thursday at Loughrey Field. In the opener, Dylan Gavin had another strong pitching performance but USF dropped a 3-1 decision to the Warriors as the two split the doubleheader. USF, which improved to 3-3 in the NSIC, and Winona State will play another doubleheader on Friday at 1:30/3:30 p.m.

Game 1 – Winona State, 3 Sioux Falls 1
Despite Dylan Gavin's strong performance in the opener, the Cougars dropped a 3-1 decision to WSU. The Warriors scored single runs in the first, fourth and sixth innings to grab the opener of a four-game series with USF.

Gavin, who fell to 1-3 on the season but lowered his ERA to 3.20, allowed just seven hits and three runs with two strikeouts and three walks in 5 1/3 innings on the mound. Spencer Dokken finished for USF, going 2/3 innings and allowing no hits and no runs. Dokken has allowed just one run over his past 5 1/3 innings of relief.

Caleb Schoenholz moved to 1-2 for WSU by limiting USF to six hits and a run with eight strikeouts over seven innings of work. Derek Martin hit a home run among his two hits and two RBI for the Warriors.

USF was held to just a pair of hits, both by Gavin over the first five innings. In the seventh inning, USF tried to put together a late rally against Schoenholz as Matthew Minnick doubled after Connor Merriam singled to put runners on second and third. After Anthony Lopez's bunt single plated pinch runner Luke Rysavy, the Cougars cut the lead to 3-1. Gabe Shemwell replaced Lopez as a pinch runner and promptly stole second, which helped USF place the tying runs in scoring position. However Schoenholz ended the threat with his eighth strikeout.

Game 2 – Sioux Falls 14 Winona State 0 (seven innings)
While freshman Brandon Roesler pieced together a pitching gem, the USF offense broke out in a big way in a 14-0 run-rule shorted game two win over WSU in game two of the doubleheader with WSU.
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Roesler, who tossed a complete game Sunday against Bemidji State, had his best performance on the mound at USF against WSU. He recorded his first career shutout, limiting the Warriors to just three hits over seven innings with five strikeouts and just a walk to improve to 2-2. Roesler, who now has registered back-to-back complete games, faced 25 batters and tossed 89 pitches as he won the run-rule shortened game.

On offense, the Cougars broke out a team slump by racking up 14 runs on 15 hits and backed by Roesler ended the game after seven innings by the run rule. After a scoreless first inning, USF took a 1-0 lead in the third and added a pair in the third inning for a 3-0 lead. In the fourth, the Cougars added four more runs and exploded for seven in the fifth frame to build a 14-0 advantage and cruised to the win.

Several USF hitters had big days, including All-league first baseman Josh Rehwaldt, who had two hits and three runs scored to go with five RBIs. In the fifth inning, he smacked his third home run, a grand slam to put the icing on the cake in the big win. Centerfielder Rob Johnson had four hits and four runs scored with an RBI as he pushed his season average to .322.

Right fielder Matthew Minnick had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs as he finished with three hits in the doubleheader. Dylan Gavin had a pair of hits along with three RBIs. He finished the doubleheader with four hits and jumped his average to .288 on the season.

Quick Game Notes - The 15-hit attack helped the Cougars raise their batting average to .250. With the pitching efforts by Gavin and Roesler, USF lowered its earned run average to 5.77 on the season. Over the past four games, the Cougars have allowed just eight total runs or two per game.