BRANDON, S.D. – With Grant Lung scoring the game-winning run in a 4-3 walk off win in game 1, the University of Sioux Falls Baseball Team (11-9, 3-2 NSIC) earned a split of an NSIC doubleheader with Minot State (8-12, 2-3 NSIC) on Thursday at First National Bank Field.

USF, which ended an eight-game losing streak to MiSU in game one, took the opener and then fell to the Beavers, 7-5 in game two. The Cougars will continue a 10-game home stand as they host Southwest Minnesota State at 1:30/3:30 pm on Saturday and 1 pm on Sunday at First National Bank Field in Brandon, S.D.

Breaking it down by the numbers - In the double header, sophomore Tyler Cate was 4-of-9 for a .444 average and .444 on-base percentage. With his performance, he raised his batting average to .390. Grant Lung had three hits in seven at bats as he is now hitting .268 on the year. Also Noah Christenson had three hits in seven at bats and jumped his average to a team-high .429 on the season. He also leads USF with 31 hits, 21 runs and 15 RBI. With two hits and two RBI, Ben Serie is hitting .286 with 14 RBI (second on USF). In going 3-2 in NSIC play, USF is hitting .261 as a team, led by Tyler Cate at .429 with nine hits in 21 at bats. Noah Christenson is hitting .381 in league play. On the hill, USF has a 6.97 earned run average. Derek Lungren has a 2.45 earned run average while Alex Krout is at 2.57 with seven strikeouts and a save and Caleb Ditmarson has a 2.84 earned run average with seven strikeouts.

Game 1 – USF 4 Minot State 3
USF took advantage of a two-out error and Grant Lung scored the game winning run on the ground ball by Tyler Cate as the Cougars rallied for a 4-3 walk off win in extra innings (eight innings) over the Beavers in game one.  The win by USF broke an eight-game losing streak to Minot State dating to a 4-2 USF win on April 21, 2018.

USF had a solid outing on the mound with three pitchers combining to strike out 10 batters with just two walks and seven hits. Alex Krout started and worked four innings in his first start of the year. The senior right hander allowed five hits and two runs with five strikeouts. Derek Lundgren allowed one run on two hits in three innings with four strikeouts. Mason Leonard (3-1) picked up the win with an inning of shutout relief. He had a strikeout in throwing 12 pitches in the inning. Trevyn Badger (1-2) took the loss for MiSU as he worked 2 2/3 innings and allowed two hits. Dominick Parkhurst started and allowed six hits and three unearned runs with four strikeouts in five innings.

USF was led offensively by Tyler Cate with three hits in five at bats with a run scored. Noah Christenson had two hits and a run scored by Grant Lung also had two hits as the Cougars totaled eight for the game.

After Minot State took a 3-1 lead in the fifth inning on a two-run home run by Mark Ossanna (fourth inning) and a solo a home run from Blake Gallagher, USF tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning. After Tyler Cate and Noah Christenson reached on singles, they both came home on an error by MiSU, which had six in the game. Then, USF had a leadoff single by Lung, who came around to score when the Beavers mishandled Cate's grounder with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Game 2 – Minot State 7 USF 5
Despite Cole Schumacher's solid outing on the mound, USF dropped a 7-5 decision to MiSU in game two as Dillon Buckmeier hit a two-out three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning.

For a while it appeared USF was eying a sweep with a 5-1 lead through four innings. The Beavers chipped away and with two out in the seventh inning, Buckmeier connected on the long ball for the lead.

Schumacher, who did not figure in the decision, allowed five hits and three runs in five innings. He recorded six strikeouts and walked one batter in facing 23 hitters. Connor McGonigal (2-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in two innings. Gage Yost earned the victory in relief as he improved to 1-0 on the season for MiSU. He did not allow a hit and had a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings on the hill. Craig Schmich earned his second save.

After MiSU scored in the first inning, USF responded with a five-spot in the fourth inning. The key hit was Ben Serie's two-run single. In game two, USF also had hits from Connor King, Tyler Cate, Noah Christenson and Grant Lung. USF now trails the all-time series, 17-11, with MiSU.