MARSHALL, MINN. – On a day when three players hit their first career home runs, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (11-14, 7-14 NSIC) nearly pulled off a second straight sweep but settled for a split with Wayne State (10-13, 9-10 NSIC) on Saturday at Sioux Falls Stadium. After dropping a 7-6 decision in game one with the tying run on third base, the Cougars rebounded and rolled to a 15-5 win in game two.

USF players recording their first career home runs included senior third baseman Zane Butts in the opener and Tyler Blackburn and sophomore outfielder Trey Hubers in the 15-5 game two win in which USF had 13 hits. The 15 runs is the second highest total for USF this year. Blackburn had a career-best game with four hits and four RBI as he improved his batting average to .292 on the season. Junior Grant Lung had five RBI, which is the most since he had sixth against Minnesota Duluth on April 9, 2019.

As a squad, USF averaged .350 with 21 hits and 21 runs with five doubles, a triple and three home runs. The Cougars had a .617 slugging mark and .431 on-base percentage. In two games, Blackburn hit .800 with four hits in five at bats and had a 1.600 slugging mark with a double and home run. Also for USF junior shortstop Grant Lung was 4-of-8 with his five RBI and a .625 slugging mark while Zane Butts had three hits as did Tyler Cate, who scored five runs, and Trey Hubers. With his three hits, Case is now hitting a team-best .346 and USF is now hitting .272 as a team.

"It was great to see the guys break out offensively," said USF Head Coach Grant Hieb, whose team now hosts Wayne State in a single game on Sunday at noon at Sioux Falls Stadium. "We nearly had the opener but we battled at the dish all day. In game two, everything came up nicely for our offense. Tyler Blackburn was on fire and it was great that he, Trey (Hubers) and Zane (Butts) all had their first home runs.  I am proud of the way my guys played today," said Hieb.

GAME 1 – Wayne State 7 Sioux Falls 6 (7 innings)
Despite three hits and two RBI, including his first home run by Zane Butts, the Cougars dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker to Wayne State.

USF led 1-0 before Wayne State scored a single run in the fourth inning and five in the fifth inning. However, Butts went yard in the home half to cut the lead to 6-3. USF added a pair of runs in the sixth inning to draw within, 6-5. After WSC scored in the top of the seventh inning, USF scored in the bottom half but couldn't find the hit to tie the game.

Keenahn Coyle (1-1) started and took the loss for USF. He allowed eight hits and six runs with seven strikeouts in throwing 55 pitches. Alex Bertram pitched one inning of scoreless relief and Charles Roskowiak allowed two hits and a run in one inning of work. Adam Breedlove (2-2) earned the win and Lawson Zenner picked up his first save.  WSC was led offensively by Bryce Bisenius who had three hits and three RBI while Peyton Barnes had three hits and two RBI.

Game 2 – Sioux Falls 15 Wayne State 5 (8 innings)
 
With Tyler Blackburn putting together the best offensive game of his career and Caleb DItmarson (2-2) earning the second win of his career, USF rolled to a 15-5 win and a split of the doubleheader with Wayne State.

Blackburn just missed hitting for the cycle but his first-ever home run, added a double and two singles while registering a career-best four RBI. USF also had three hits and five RBI from Grant Lung and two hits, RBI and four runs scored from Tyler Cate. Leadoff hitter Connor King had a hit and three runs scored and Trey Hubers had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored along with his first career home run.

Ditmarson earned his second win by throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowed six hits and four runs while striking out three and walking four in throwing 81 pitches. Zachary Shastay finished for USF with 1 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Hunter Wienhoff (1-2) took the loss after allowing five hits and four earned runs across four innings. WSC used seven pitches during the course of the game.

USF opened up a 3-0 lead after Lung hit a run-scoring single to plate Cate in the first inning and then Blackburn hit a two-run homer in the second inning. After WSC drew within 3-1 in the third, Cate tripled to right field to score King and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Bernardy as USF's lead drew to 5-1. 

In the fifth inning, King was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches. After Cate walked and stole second, Lung's sacrifice fly scored Lung. Ryan Bernardy was hit by a pitch and then Jared Binsfeld executed a successful safety squeeze as the Cougars took a 7-1 lead.

Noah Buss followed with a run-score double to plate Bernardy. Later, Blackburn had a two-run double to plate Hubers and Buss as the Cougars scored five runs on three hits.

After Wayne scored three times in the seventh inning, USF answered with a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Hubers hit his first career home run.

WSC answered with a run in the top of the eighth inning before the Cougars ended the game with four runs in the eighth inning. King walked and advanced to third on Cate's single to center. When Lung doubled, both Cate and King scored. Bernardy walked and Lung advanced to third on a wild pitch. Binsfeld's sacrifice fly scored Lung. Then Buss walked and Hubers's RBI grounded out brought home Bernardy as the game ended by run rule.