MANKATO, MINN. – A late rally from No. 15 Minnesota State was the difference as the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (19-18, 14-18 NSIC) dropped a 7-3 NSIC decision on Thursday. The game was the second part of a mid-week series but was moved due to rain on Wednesday.

The Cougars now sit 14-18 in the NSIC and in ninth place in the NSIC. USF, which is 19-18, overall will go to Concordia St. Paul (14-21, 10-19 NSIC) for a three-game series on Friday (1:30/3:30 pm), May 6, and Saturday (Noon), May 7. The series with CSP will conclude the regular season.

USF had a solid start from Caleb Ditmarson (2-3), who took the loss. He threw six innings and allowed six hits and three runs with three walks and two strikeouts. Alex Bertram (inning, three hits, one run) and Payton Livingston (inning, three hits, three runs, walk) finished up for USF.

USF's offense was led by junior outfielder Trey Hubers, who had a pair of hits, run scored and RBI. USF totaled seven hits and also had a hit (double) and a run scored by Tyler Blackburn. Ryan Bernardy had a double and Zane Butts added a single and run scored. Also for USF, Ryan Meyer had a single and Noah Buss provided an RBI.

Minnesota State opened the scoring in the first with a single tally before USF's took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single from Hubers. USF also scored on a passed ball. In the fourth inning, MSU took the lead for good with two runs. They added a single run in the seventh frame and three in the eighth inning for a 7-2 lead. USF scored in the ninth inning when Butts singled and advanced to third on a base hit by Hubers. Butts scored on a sacrifice fly from Buss.