WINONA, MINN. – The pitching of Keenahn Coyle and hitting of Ryan Bernardy helped the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (11-33, 9-21 NSIC) earn a split of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader with Winona State (20-19, 12-14 NSIC) on Friday at Loughrey Field. The two teams will have Saturday (April 27) off due to rain in the forecast and will finish the series at noon on Sunday.

 GAME 1 – Sioux Falls 7 Winona State 4
Led by Keenahn Coyle's strong start and big hits from Grant Lung and Ryan Bernardy, the Cougars ended a two-game losing streak with a 7-4 road win over the Warriors in game one of the doubleheader.

Bernardy hit his fifth home run of the season and now has 22 RBI. Grant Lung had two hits which included a triple plus his team-leading 33^rd RBI.

USF opened a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Connor King walked, advanced two bases on a hit by Grant Lung and an error and came home on a grounder by Josh Rehwaldt. In the bottom of the second Andrew Pliner cracked a three-run home run and Austin Savary scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Nalewanski as WSU took a 4-1 lead.

Trailing 4-1, the Cougars answered by putting up a four-spot in the 3rd inning to take a 5-4 lead. Lung hit a one-out triple and scored on an RBI single by Rehwaldt. After Alex Robinson was hit by a pitch, Bernardy hit a three-run HR for lead. In the top of the fourth inning, USF loaded the bases and when WSU misplayed a ball to centerfield, Trey Hubers and Ryan Meyer scored as USF took a 7-4 lead.

After that Coyle (1-7), who had his league-leading 11^th pickoff of the season, worked his pitching magic against the Warriors as he picked up his first win of the season. Coyle allowed eight hits and four runs across six innings with three strikeouts in throwing 108 pitches. Senior relief specialist Mitch Lyall worked the seventh inning and allowed a hit but no runs as he earned his second save and maintained his 0.68 earned run average.

Game 2 – Winona State 7 Sioux Falls 6
USF jumped ahead 3-1 and 6-3 before WSU rallied to win the second game with a walk off sacrifice fly from Chad Herbst.
In the game, the Cougars had six runs on six hits and didn't commit an error. The offense was led by Bernardy who had a pair of RBI and a base hit to go with a walk. Hubers and Rehwaldt also had a base hit and RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Payton Livingston (0-2) took the loss for USF after throwing 2 2/3 innings. He allowed a hit and run while striking out two and walking four batters while throwing 39 pitches. Sophomore Matt Graham started and worked 2 2/3 innings while allowing five hits and three runs with a strikeout and a walk. Senior Christian Lazar also threw as he had six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings while giving up three hits and three runs.

USF grabbed an early lead as they played two runs in the first inning without benefit of a hit. Bernardy drew a walk to bring home Connor King, who walked. Then, Rehwaldt, who also reached on a walk, scored on a passed ball. In the second inning Meyer drew a walk, stole second and scored on Rehwaldt's RBI single as USF led, 3-0. WSU answered with three runs in the third to draw even at 3-3.  

In the top of the fifth inning, Bernardy had a run-scoring single to Alex Robinson, who had a one-out double, as the Cougars took a 4-3 lead. Then, after Sam Michels reached on an error and Nash Dalzell had a single to left field, Bernardy scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Hubers. Then, after Hubers stole second, Michels scored an unearned run on an error. The Warriors responded by scoring twice in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Tanner Williams. WSU tied the game when Mitchell Seager homered in the sixth inning.  In the ninth, Zac Stange drew a leadoff walk and later scored on Herbst's sacrifice fly as WSU picked up the win and split of the twin-bill.