BRANDON, S.D. --- With a walk-off run-scoring single from Noah Christenson and a stellar starting outing by Caleb Ditmarson, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (9-8, 1-1 NSIC) won game one, 3-2, over Minnesota Crookston (9-12, 1-1 NSIC) and split a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Saturday (March 19) at First National Bank Field.

In the home NSIC opener, the Cougars took the 3-2 win which was followed by a 17-7 setback. As a result, USF now sits 9-8 overall with a 1-1 record in league play. USF and Minnesota Crookston will play the final of the three-game series at noon on Sunday at First National Bank Field in Brandon.

Game 1 – USF 3 Minn. Crookston 2
In the opener, third baseman Noah Christenson had a walk-off single to score Tyler Cate as the Cougars rallied for a 3-2 win over the Golden Eagles.

In the seventh inning with two outs and nobody on base, the Cougars found a way to rally for the win. First, senior centerfielder Connor King drew a walk, stole second and scored on Cate's run-scoring single to tie the game at 2-2. Then, Cate, who advanced to second when King scored, came home on an RBI single through the left side by Christenson.

UMC took a two-run lead in the fourth inning on a home run from Ben Thoma. USF cut the lead to 2-1 when senior right fielder Jared Binsfeld came home on an RBI single to right field by King with two outs.

USF's offense was led by two hits from Binsfeld, King and Trey Hubers as the Cougars totaled nine hits.

In another quality start, Caleb Ditmarson did not figure in the decision despite allowing just five hits and two runs in 6 1.3 innings. In his second straight stellar outing, Ditmarson had seven strikeouts with just a walk while lowering his earned run average to 3.86 on the season. Over his last 13 1/3 innings, he has allowed just three runs and 10 total hits with 15 strikeouts.

Derek Lundgren finished for USF and did not allow a hit in 2/3 of an inning. He picked up the win in relief to move to 2-1 on the season with the victory. UMC's Jake Dykhoff (4-2) took the loss after going 6 2/3 innings and allowing nine hits with three runs while striking out four.

Game 2 – UMC 11 USF 4
Minnesota Crookston opened up a 5-1 lead and continued to build on the lead as they cruised to a 17-7 win in game two, which was highlighted by home runs on each side.
With the win, UMC evened the NSIC series at 1-1.   

In the loss, USF had home runs from Noah Christenson, whose two-run shot over the center field wall was his career first and the redshirt freshman third baseman is hitting .403 on the season with 15 RBI. Also USF had home runs from redshirt freshman Ben Serie, who hammered his third of the season, and Brady Klehr, who hit his second of the season and pushed his average to .364. Klehr's three-run home run in the eighth inning cut USF's deficit to 13-7.   

Matt Graham (1-2) took the loss for USF after allowing five earned runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. He had two strikeouts and did not walk a batter. Zachary Shastay (1 hit, three runs, two walks), Mason Leonard (1 1/3 inn., 2H, 1 run, one strikeout), Alex Bertram (1 inn., two strikeouts), and Jacob Emerson (one inn., two hits, two runs, two strikeouts) and Jake Haugen (one inning, four hits, four runs, strikeout).

Jake Helle and Ben Thoma both homered for UMC. Alex Keep (2-1) earned the win for UMC after striking out 10 hitters in seven innings. He allowed four hits and three earned runs.