QUINCY, ILL. – Despite a strong pitching performance, the University of Sioux Falls Basketball Team (2-12, 0-1 NSIC) dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to U-Mary (4-8, 1-0 NSIC) on Monday at Quincy University Stadium on Sunday night. Due to the wet conditions in Sioux Falls, USF had to move the game south and found a field in Quincy, Ill. USF and U-Mary will continue their series on Monday with a doubleheader starting at noon.

In the setback to U-Mary, the Cougars used seven pitchers who registered 13 strikeouts and just three walks across nine innings.

Sophomore Matt Graham (1-1) started and took the loss after giving up three runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He had three wild pitches which hurt his cause. Also for USF, senior right-hander Christian Lazar had four strikeouts and allowed just one hit in 2 2/3 innings. Freshman right-hander Jacob Emerson allowed two hits and a run in an inning.

Senior left-hander Mitchell Lyall was one of four pitchers to pitch over the final four innings and not allow a hit while registering seven strikeouts without walking a hitter. Lyall had two strikeouts in his inning of work. He was followed by freshman right-hander Sean Nussbaum who had a strikeout in an inning while sophomore right-hander Brandon Roesler had three strikeouts in his dominating inning of work while sophomore right-hander Alex Loosbrock had a strikeout in one inning.

Despite scoring just one run, USF had a number of scoring opportunities and finished with five hits while drawing five walks. Those opportunities included the eighth inning when USF put runners on second and third but was unable to capitalize.  Junior Ryan Bernardy had two hits in four at bats while senior Josh Rehwaldt had a hit and run scored. Freshman Connor King also had a single and freshman Kyle Gulbrandson had a hit and RBI to lead the offense.

U-Mary was led offensively by Darius Barlas, who homered, and Braeton Wixo with two hits and a RBI.

The Marauders, who scored three runs in the second and added a run in the fifth inning, was led by Parker McRae (2-1) on the mound. He picked up the win after working five innings and allowing five hits and one run with four strikeouts. Chris Scott closed for U-Mary and earned his third save while recording three strikeouts in the ninth inning.

Game Breakdown --
With a solo home run by Barlas and some control issues by USF, the Marauders took a 3-0 lead in the second inning.  Marauders had three runs on two hits as USF had four wild pitches and passed ball. In the fifth inning, the Marauders added a run on a run-scoring single by Wixo.

In the sixth inning, Rehwaldt had a lead-off single and Bernardy followed with his second hit of the day with a single to right field. After Bernardy stole second, Rehwaldt scored on a RBI groundout by Kyle Gulbrandson as the Cougars cut the U-Mary lead to 4-1.