ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls baseball team delivered one of its strongest days of the season Wednesday, taking both ends of an NSIC road doubleheader from St. Cloud State with a 9-4 win in game one and a 13-8 victory in game two at Joe Faber Field.

The Cougars set the tone early and never let up, pairing timely offense with enough pitching to finish off the sweep. USF scored five runs in the opening inning of game one, then answered every Huskies push the rest of the way. In the nightcap, Sioux Falls again came up with big swings, including three home runs and a four-run eighth inning, to hold off a late St. Cloud State rally. Justin Johnson was one of the biggest catalysts across the doubleheader, driving in nine runs, while Brady Schafer and Casey Sehr came through with big production in the opener and Owen Weadge gave the Cougars six strong innings in game two.

It was the kind of all-around day USF needed with the regular season winding down. The Cougars finished with 22 runs on 25 hits, drew 11 walks, and got key work from Carter Sehr, Eli Larson, Weadge and Zach Peta on the mound. By day's end, Sioux Falls had improved to 22-19 overall and 18-10 in NSIC play while securing an important conference road sweep.

Final Score(s):

• Game one: Sioux Falls 9, St. Cloud State 4
• Game two: Sioux Falls 13, St. Cloud State 8

Game One – How It Happened

Sioux Falls wasted no time jumping on the Huskies in the opener.

The Cougars sent nine men to the plate in the first and scored five times. Dominic Vogel opened the game with a walk, William Edwards followed with a single, and Brady Schafer got USF on the board with an RBI single through the left side. Johnson then lined a run-scoring single into the gap, Cullen Verville dropped down a bunt single that plated another run, and Casey Sehr capped the inning with a two-run single to left-center for a quick 5-0 cushion.

St. Cloud State answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and kept the pressure on throughout the early innings, trimming the deficit to 5-3 by the fourth. Carter Sehr worked around traffic, however, and kept the Huskies from putting together a bigger inning.

The Cougars added breathing room in the fifth. Edwards doubled down the left-field line, and after Schafer was intentionally walked, Johnson delivered again with a two-run single through the right side to extend the lead to 7-3. St. Cloud State picked up another run in the bottom half, but USF had one more answer in the seventh. After Schafer drew a walk and Carson Jager entered as a pinch runner, Miller and Johnson each singled, Verville lifted a sacrifice fly, and Casey Sehr added an RBI single to make it 9-4.

Larson then closed the door over the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and keeping the Huskies scoreless the rest of the way.

Game One – On the Mound

• Starting pitcher: Carter Sehr — 4.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
• Decision: Sehr (W, 4-4)
• Bullpen impact: Tyler Maeyaert bridged a key jam in the fifth, and Eli Larson finished the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run.
• Notable pitching moments: Larson entered with the bases loaded in the fifth and got the final out to keep USF in front 7-4 before shutting down the Huskies the rest of the way.

Game One – At the Plate

• Multi-hit games: Edwards (2), Johnson (3), Casey Sehr (2)
• Extra-base hits: Edwards (2B)
• RBIs: Johnson (3), Casey Sehr (3), Verville (2), Schafer (1)
• Clutch situations: USF scored five in the first inning and added two-run frames in both the fifth and seventh to answer every St. Cloud State threat.
• Team totals: 12 hits, 9 runs, 4 walks, 0 hit by pitch, 7 left on base

Game Two – How It Happened

The nightcap followed a similar pattern early, as the Cougars grabbed control before having to withstand a late Huskies rally.

USF opened the scoring in the third when Nolan Drossel reached on an error, stole second and came home on Mitch Iliff's RBI single. Verville then added a solo home run in the fourth to make it 2-0. St. Cloud State got on the board with a solo homer from Wilmis Castro in the fifth, but the Cougars answered with a big sixth inning.

Schafer started the frame with a single, Miller followed with a double, and Johnson blasted a two-run homer to left to stretch the lead to 5-1. Later in the inning, Drossel walked and stole second before Vogel drove him in with an RBI single.

USF added three more in the seventh. Iliff walked, Schafer homered to left-center, and after Miller reached and moved up on an error, Verville singled him home before Casey Sehr's sacrifice fly made it 9-1.

St. Cloud State did not go quietly. The Huskies erupted for six runs in the bottom of the seventh, turning a comfortable game into a two-run contest at 9-7. The Cougars needed a response, and Johnson delivered it in emphatic fashion in the eighth. After Edwards advanced to third on a passed ball and error, Iliff walked, Miller walked, and Johnson launched a grand slam to left to push the lead back to 13-7.

The Huskies got one run back in the eighth, but Peta finished the final 2.1 innings and recorded the final outs to secure the sweep.

Game Two – On the Mound

• Starting pitcher: Owen Weadge — 6.0 IP, 11 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
• Decision: Weadge (W, 2-2)
• Bullpen impact: Riley Schilling and Jack Richeson ran into trouble in the seventh before Zach Peta stabilized the game and earned the finish over the final 2.1 innings.
• Notable pitching moments: Weadge repeatedly pitched through traffic and kept St. Cloud State from cashing in early opportunities, allowing the offense time to build a lead.

Game Two – At the Plate

• Multi-hit games: Vogel (2), Edwards (2), Johnson (3), Schafer (2), Verville (2)
• Extra-base hits: Miller (2B), Johnson (2B, 2 HR), Schafer (HR), Verville (HR)
• RBIs: Johnson (6), Schafer (2), Verville (1), Vogel (1), Iliff (1), Casey Sehr (1)
• Clutch situations: Johnson's grand slam in the eighth gave USF needed separation after St. Cloud State had cut the lead to two.
• Team totals: 13 hits, 13 runs, 7 walks, 0 hit by pitch, 7 left on base

Key Cougars (Day Leaders)

• Justin Johnson: 6-for-9, 9 RBI, three home runs, double
• Brady Schafer: 3-for-7, 4 RBI, home run, reached base five times
• Casey Sehr: 2-for-7, 4 RBI in game one, plus a sacrifice fly in game two
• Cullen Verville: 3-for-8, home run, 3 RBI, strong work defensively and on the bases
• Owen Weadge: 6.0 innings in game two, limited damage and kept USF in control
• Eli Larson: Shut down the opener late with 2.1 scoreless innings

Coach's Corner

"I thought the first game was the best win we've had so far this season. We picked each other up as a team & punched back when they got it close in the late innings. Carter threw it well in the start & Eli did a great job closing it out. It was good to see us back it up with another solid game. We swung it well & needed to as their offense put up a lot of hits. Owen always seems to elevate his game when runners get in scoring position. He did a good job of wiggling out of some jams & giving us six solid innings. Zach did the same thing to finish it out. Glad we were able to go on the road & take the series. Big step in the right direction. I'm looking forward to our home series this weekend against our in-town rivals. Should be a good series."
– Head Coach Grant Hieb

Up Next

The Cougars return home this weekend for a key rivalry series against Augustana on Friday, April 24, Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26 at Sioux Falls Stadium.

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