SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sioux Falls (9-17, 5-7 NSIC) closed out its series against St. Cloud State (11-11, 7-5 NSIC) with an 11-5 victory on Sunday, using a balanced offensive attack and strong pitching to secure the win at Sioux Falls Stadium.
How It Happened
Sioux Falls wasted no time jumping ahead, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Mitch Iliff crushed a solo home run to left field.
St. Cloud State tied it in the second with a two-out RBI single from Brayden Jacobson, and the Huskies grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third on a Wilmis Castro RBI single.
The Cougars responded in a big way in the bottom of the third. Dominic Vogel and Iliff led off with back-to-back hits, and Isaac Bonner came through with a two-run double up the middle to put USF back in front, 3-2. A St. Cloud throwing error allowed Bonner to score, and later in the inning, Ryan Gouldin's groundout brought home another run to make it 5-2 Cougars.
USF kept the pressure on in the fourth. Jaxon Haase delivered a two-run double down the right field line, scoring Vogel and Iliff to push the lead to 7-2.
In the fifth, Gouldin launched a solo home run to left-center, extending the lead to 8-2.
St. Cloud tried to rally in the seventh as Hayden Konkol hit a solo homer and Ethan Navratil doubled home another run, cutting the USF lead to 8-5. However, the Cougars responded immediately in the bottom half. Casey Sehr walked and Ryan Gouldin was hit by a pitch, setting up Noah Christenson, who delivered a clutch two-run double to right field, stretching the lead back to 10-5.
USF tacked on one more in the eighth as Carson Jager scored on Gouldin's RBI single, securing the final 11-5 margin.
By the Numbers
Up Next:
The Cougars will travel north next weekend, as they prepare for the Northern State University Wolves. The series is set to begin Friday, March 28th at Fossum Field in Aberdeen, S.D.
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