SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls baseball team put together one of its strongest all-around days of the season Saturday, sweeping Northern State in a site-reversal doubleheader at Sioux Falls Stadium by scores of 6-1 and 11-0. The Cougars jumped on the Wolves early in both games, pounded out 26 hits across the two games, and got dominant starts from Jake Ammann and Brady Baur to control the day from first pitch to final out.

Sioux Falls set the tone with aggressive baserunning, timely extra-base hits, and strong starting pitching, improving to 10-10 overall by day's end. Justin Johnson and Drew Miller keyed the offense in the opener, while Dominic Vogel sparked the second game with a four-RBI performance. On the mound, Ammann tossed a complete game in game one and Baur followed with six shutout innings in game two, helping the Cougars outscore Northern State 17-1 on the day.

Final Score(s):

• Game one: Sioux Falls 6, Northern State 1
• Game two: Sioux Falls 11, Northern State 0

Game One – How It Happened

Sioux Falls wasted no time getting out front in the opener. After Mitch Iliff singled and William Edwards followed with a hit to right, Edwards swiped second while Iliff stole home to give the Cougars the game's first run. Brady Schafer then doubled home Edwards, and Justin Johnson added an RBI single later in the frame to make it 3-0 before Northern State could settle in.

The Cougars struck again in the third with another three-run burst. Edwards singled, Schafer doubled him to third, and Drew Miller came through with a two-run single. Casey Sehr followed with a base hit, and Cullen Verville added an RBI single through the left side to stretch the lead to 6-0.

From there, Ammann took over. Northern State managed a few scattered baserunners, but Sioux Falls erased a fourth-inning walk with a double play and kept the Wolves from piecing together a rally. The only run against Ammann came in the sixth, when Northern State used a single, a double, and a groundout to scratch across its lone tally. Even then, Sioux Falls never let the inning snowball.

The Cougars were held scoreless after the third, but the early offense proved to be more than enough. Ammann finished off the complete-game win by stranding a runner in scoring position in the seventh and preserving the 6-1 victory.

Game One – On the Mound

• Starting pitcher: Jake Ammann — 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Decision: Win — Ammann (2-2)
• Bullpen impact: Not needed, as Ammann went the distance
• Notable pitching moments: Ammann scattered four hits, worked through 11 ground-ball outs, and gave Sioux Falls a complete-game effort in the opener.

Game One – At the Plate

• Multi-hit games: Dominic Vogel (2-for-4), Edwards (2-for-4), Schafer (2-for-4), Miller (3-for-3)
• Extra-base hits: Schafer (2 doubles)
• RBIs: Miller (2), Johnson (1), Verville (1), Schafer (1)
• Clutch situations: Sioux Falls plated three in the first and three more in the third, immediately putting pressure on Northern State.
• Team totals: 14 hits, 6 runs, 1 walk, 1 hit-by-pitch, 7 left on base.

Game Two – How It Happened

The Cougars kept rolling in game two and again struck first. Vogel opened the game with a single and stolen base, and Edwards drove him home with a base hit to right. After another stolen base moved Edwards into scoring position, Johnson lined a single down the left-field line to make it 2-0.

Sioux Falls widened the gap in the second. Casey Sehr singled, Verville walked, and Nolan Drossel dropped down a bunt single to load the bases. Vogel then delivered the big swing of the inning, singling home two runs. Moments later, aggressive baserunning forced a Northern State error that allowed another run to score and pushed the lead to 5-0.

The Cougars added two more in the third. Miller singled, Verville followed with a hit, and Vogel laid down another RBI bunt single. A wild pitch later in the inning brought home Verville and made it 7-0. Northern State threatened briefly in the second and fourth, but Baur stranded runners in both innings and kept the Wolves off the board.

Sioux Falls continued to add insurance in the fifth, sixth, and seventh. Drossel scored on a catcher's error in the fifth, the Cougars plated two more in the sixth on an RBI hit-by-pitch and Vogel's sacrifice fly, and Roy Steventon capped the scoring with an RBI single in the seventh. By then, the outcome was well in hand, and Peta worked out of a seventh-inning jam to finish the 11-0 shutout.

Game Two – On the Mound

• Starting pitcher: Brady Baur — 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
• Decision: Win — Baur (4-1)
• Bullpen impact: Zach Peta closed the final inning, allowing one hit and two walks while preserving the shutout
• Notable pitching moments: Baur struck out eight and did not allow a run, while the staff combined to blank Northern State despite a bases-loaded threat in the seventh.

Game Two – At the Plate

• Multi-hit games: Vogel (3-for-4), Edwards (2-for-4)
• Extra-base hits: Edwards (double)
• RBIs: Vogel (4), Edwards (1), Johnson (1), Drossel (1), Steventon (1)
• Clutch situations: Vogel drove in two in the second, added another RBI bunt single in the third, and later brought home a run on a sacrifice fly.
• Team totals: 12 hits, 11 runs, 7 walks, 4 hit-by-pitches, 12 left on base.

Key Cougars (Day Standouts)

• Jake Ammann — Fired a complete-game effort in the opener and allowed just one run over seven innings.
• Brady Baur — Dominated in game two with six shutout innings and eight strikeouts.
• Dominic Vogel — Collected five hits across the doubleheader and drove in four runs in game two.
• Drew Miller — Went 3-for-3 with two RBI in game one and added another hit in the nightcap.
• Justin Johnson — Supplied an RBI in each game and helped set the tone offensively in the middle of the order.
• William Edwards — Had four hits on the day, scored three times, and helped ignite early offense in both wins.

Coach's Corner

"Got two good wins today. Jake and Brady both threw it well and got their foot on the gas. Our offense was able to get some early runs both games and take some pressure off them and let 'em settle in. It was fun to see our guys be aggressive on the bases even though a couple resulted in us running into outs. I've been on them about being more aggressive and I'd rather have to reel them in a bit than kick 'em in the rear. Hopefully we can play well tomorrow and finish the series with a win."
– Head Coach Grant Hieb

Up Next

The Cougars return to Sioux Falls Stadium on Sunday, March 22 at 1:00 p.m. for another matchup with Northern State in the site-reversal series finale. Sioux Falls will again be listed as the away team as it looks to complete the weekend sweep before turning the page to the rest of its NSIC slate.

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