MINOT, N.D. -- The University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (12-22, 12-12 NSIC) received a stellar starting effort from freshman Brandon Roesler while senior Dylan Gavin and junior Josh Rehwaldt provided the offense in a 4-2 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference win over Minot State (21-12, 9-4 NSIC) and a split of a doubleheader on Saturday at Corbett Field. USF lost game one, 3-0, before rallying for a 4-2 win in game two.

With the victory, USF has won 4-of-5 games to move into seventh place in the NSIC with a 12-12 league mark. The Cougars, which improved to 12-22 overall, will play Minot State in another doubleheader on Sunday at noon and 2:30 p.m.

The Cougars had a solid outing on the mound as six pitchers produced a combined 2.81 era, allowing just five runs in 16 innings with 13 strikeouts and just three walks. In game one, Gavin threw a complete game and had four strikeouts but lost a hard luck decision, 3-0, to fall to 3-5 on the season. In game two, freshman Brandon Roesler won his third game by throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowing just two runs and recording seven strikeouts. Sophomore Jackson Olson closed for his third save of the season. Of note, USF lowered its era in league play to 3.57 after allowing just nine runs in the past four games.

On offense, freshman shortstop Grant Lung was a combined 4-of-8 in the doubleheader with a run scored. Freshman outfielder Gabe Shemwell added three hits in six plate appearances while senior Brent Jarvis also had three hits. Gavin added two hits and two RBI while Rehwaldt had two hits and an RBI.

Game 1 – Minot State 3 Sioux Falls
In the opener, Gavin (3-5) threw a complete game but was a hard-luck loser in a 3-0 setback. Gavin allowed six hits and three runs with four strikeouts and two walks across seven innings. He has gone at last 5 1/3 innings in eight of nine starts and not allowed more than three runs in any of the starts.  He hurled his fourth complete game of the season.

Minot State's Adam Hackman (4-4) shutdown USF's offense, scattering seven hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts.

The Beavers scored three runs in the second inning and Hackman held USF off the scoreboard. The Cougars were led on offense by Lung, who had three hits while Shemwell had two. Jarvis and Matthew Minnick also had a base hit.

Game 2 – Sioux Falls 4 Minot State 2
With Roesler  and three relievers shutting down the Beavers' hitting attack, the Cougars rallied from a 2-0 deficit with single run in the first inning, two in the fifth frame and another in the sixth inning for a 4-2 victory.

Roesler (3-2) continued his impressive freshman campaign by recording his third win in five decisions. He threw 6 2/3 innings and scattered 10 hits while allowing two runs with seven strikeouts. Three relievers closed the victory for USF. With two runners aboard and two out in the seventh inning, Christian Lazar entered the game and forced Darrel Doll to pop out. Then, Payton Livingston forced a ground out to open the eighth inning and Jackson Olson came in and shut down MSU without a hit over the final 1 2/3 innings. In picking up his third save, Olson walked one hitter and recorded two strikeouts. Over his last 9 2/3 innings and seven appearances, Olson has allowed just five hits and no runs with seven strikeouts.

Zack Newman took the loss for Minot State to fall to 0-2. He allowed eight hits and four runs with five strikeouts.

USF was led by Gavin with two hits, including a double and triple, and two RBI. Rehwaldt suppled a single and double with an RBI.  

After the Beavers scored twice in the first inning, the Cougars cut the deficit in half with a run in the first inning as Gavin's two-out double down the right field line, plated Lung, who had opened the game with a base hit. USF took the lead for good in the fifth inning after Shemwell singled up the middle and scored on Gavin's triple into the right fielder corner to tie the game, 2-2. Then, Gavin tallied the go-ahead run when Rehwaldt doubled for a 3-2 edge.  In the sixth inning, USF put up an insurance run when Jarvis doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice by Connor Merriam. Jarvis scored on a squeeze bunt by Alex Elizondo for a 4-2 lead.