SIOUX FALLS – With a go-ahead RBI triple from Connor King and two hits and two RBI from Tyler Cate, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (7-7, 3-7 NSIC) rallied for a 9-7 win over Minnesota Duluth in game two and a split of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Wednesday at Sioux Falls Stadium.

With the victory, USF moved to .500 at 7-7 and sit 3-7 in league play. They have won 3-of-4 games in NSIC play and head to U-Mary for a three-game series beginning with a single game at 11 am on Friday. Then USF and U-Mary plays a doubleheader at noon and 2 pm on Saturday with the games at Bismarck, N.D.

The Cougars trailed 3-1 in the first inning and 5-4 before scoring three runs in the sixth and two in the eighth to earn the 9-7 win and a split with UMD, which won game one, 15-9.

In the doubleheader, USF had a .309 average with 17 hits in 55 at bats. They scored 18 runs with a .436 slugging and .427 OBP. The Cougars stole six bases in seven attempts and committed three errors. On the mound, USF had 15 strikeouts against 11 walks and allowed 20 earned runs in 16 innings.

"It was good to get that second game and a split today," said USF Head Coach Grant Hieb. "It was great to see us chip away after they put a three-spot on us in the opening inning. It wasn't a pretty game by any means but sometimes on cold days like this you just have to find a way to score more than the team you are playing. Connor (King) and Tyler (Cate) came up big late. I am hoping we can build on the win and play good baseball at Mary this weekend," he said.

Game 1 – UMD 15 USF 9 (7 innings)
Despite a six-run fifth inning, USF dropped a 15-9 decision to UMD which scored seven runs in the fourth and five runs in the six inning while collecting 15 hits.
USF, which had eight hits, opened up a 1-0 lead before UMD had a seven-run fourth inning and added two runs in the fifth inning for a 9-1 lead. Then USF closed to within 9-7 with a six-run fifth inning. UMD answered with five in the sixth inning and held off USF.

The Cougars were led by two hits from three players. Ryan Bernardy had two hits, run scored and an RBI. Jared Binsfield had two hits, run scored and RBI while Zane Butts had two hits and two runs scored. Also Connor King had a hit and two runs scored while Kyle Gulbrandson had a pinch hit two-run single. USF had stolen bases from Tyler Cate, Bernardy and Binsfield.

Andrew Maslowski (1-2) took the loss for USF as he allowed nine hits and seven runs with five strikeouts in throwing 43 pitches to 20 batters across 3 1/3 innings. Zachary Shastay worked two innings w ith four earned runs and three hits with two strikeouts. Jake Haugen threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed three hits and three runs with three strikeouts and two walks.

Game 2 – USF 9 UMD 7 (9 innings)
Connor King's RBI go-ahead triple in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Trey Hubers and USF rallied for a 9-7 win over UMD in game two.

After UMD took a 3-1 lead in the top of the first inning, USF scored a single run in the bottom of the inning and another in the third to draw within, 3-2. In the fourth inning, the Cougars scored twice for a 4-3 lead. However, UMD had two runs in the sixth inning for a 5-4 lead. Then, USF scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 7-5 lead. UMD tied the game at 7-7 by taking advantage of five walks. But King and Cate came through in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 9-7 lead and then relief pitcher Alex Krout shut the door on UMD as the Cougars earned their seventh win of the season in 14 decisions.

In the win, King had two runs scored, a stolen base and a hit plus an RBI while freshman second baseman Tyler Cate had two hits, a run scored and two RBI and junior shortstop Grant Lung had a hit and two RBU. Tyler Blackburn added two hits, including a double, along with two runs and an RBI while Zane Butts produced a hit and two RBI in the win.

In the victory, USF used four pitchers with Alex Krout (3-1) working the final 2 1/3 innings for the win. He allowed just two hits with a walk and a strikeout while facing nine batters and throwing 29 pitches. Also working for USF was starter Jacob Emerson (3 innings, five hits, three runs, two earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts); Payton Livingston (3 innings, three hits, two runs, strikeout) and Drew Leonard (2/3 inning, two runs, five walks, two runs, strikeout). 

UMD's Eric Kinnenkamp took the loss after allowing two hits and two runs in 2 1/3 inning. Aaron Wukmir started and worked five innings, allowing five hits and four runs.