MINOT, N.D. – The University of Sioux Falls Baseball team closed the regular season with a gritty road win Saturday afternoon, holding off Minot State 11-9 at Corbett Field. The Cougars used a five-run fourth inning to take control, added insurance late and leaned on their bullpen in the final frames to finish the regular season on a winning note.
USF answered a two-run third from the Beavers with steady offense throughout the middle innings, highlighted by Casey Sehr's two-run double, a key pinch-hit RBI single from Myles Rees and late run production from Justin Johnson and Cullen Verville. The Cougars also got important relief work from Jake Pruchniak and Jack Richeson to close out the win.
Final Score
Sioux Falls 11, Minot State 9
How It Happened
The game opened as a pitcher's duel through the first two innings, with Taylor Morrissette working around a first-inning double before retiring Minot State in order in the second. USF put traffic on in the second with walks from Brady Schafer and Drew Miller, but the Cougars were unable to cash in.
Minot State broke through in the third, taking advantage of a walk and an error before Jessen West delivered a two-run single to put the Beavers ahead 2-0. Morrissette limited further damage, working out of a bases-loaded situation to keep USF within reach.
The Cougars answered in a big way in the fourth. Miller singled and Justin Johnson was hit by a pitch before Sehr delivered a two-run double to center, tying the game at 2-2. Rees came off the bench and delivered an RBI single to left to give USF the lead. Dominic Vogel followed with a bunt single, William Edwards walked and Mitch Iliff drew a bases-loaded walk before Schafer added another run with a walk, pushing the Cougars in front 5-2.
Minot State pulled within one in the bottom half, scoring twice to make it 5-4, but USF kept applying pressure. In the fifth, Sehr reached on an error, Roy Steventon singled, Vogel walked and Edwards drove in two with a single to center to extend the lead to 7-4.
The Cougars added another run in the sixth when Johnson walked and later scored on an error. Minot State responded with two in the bottom half, but Pruchniak minimized the inning with a key double play ball and kept USF ahead 8-6.
USF delivered another important response in the seventh. Iliff, Schafer and Miller opened the inning with three straight singles before Johnson drove in two with a base hit to right. Verville followed with a sacrifice fly to score Miller and give the Cougars an 11-6 advantage.
Minot State made one final push in the eighth, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 11-9, but Richeson entered with two outs and ended the threat with a strikeout. He returned in the ninth and worked around a two-out triple, finishing the game with another strikeout to seal the win.
On the Mound
- Starting pitcher: Taylor Morrissette threw 4.0 innings, allowing four runs while striking out three.
- Decision: USF earned the win as a staff, with the bullpen closing out the regular-season finale.
- Bullpen impact: Jake Pruchniak worked into the eighth and recorded key outs in traffic, while Jack Richeson came on late and shut the door.
- Notable pitching moments: Pruchniak's sixth-inning double play helped protect the lead, and Richeson stranded the tying run at the plate in the ninth with a game-ending strikeout.
At the Plate
- Multi-hit games: Dominic Vogel, Mitch Iliff, Drew Miller and Justin Johnson each recorded multiple hits.
- Extra-base hits: Casey Sehr doubled in two runs during the fourth-inning rally.
- RBIs: Johnson drove in two, Edwards added two, Sehr drove in two, while Rees, Iliff, Schafer and Verville each helped bring runs across.
- Clutch situations: Rees came off the bench with an RBI single after Drossel exited, and Johnson delivered a two-run single in the seventh to help give USF needed separation.
- Team totals: USF scored 11 runs and consistently created traffic with hits, walks and hit-by-pitches throughout the lineup.
Coach's Corner
"Big team win today. It wasn't our cleanest game by any means, but guys picked each other up and competed their tails off. It was big to get that one and have some momentum going into the tournament next week. I was glad to see Rees come off the bench and get an RBI knock when Drossel went down with an injury. Steventon did well too, for not playing much all year and getting thrown in there in the last game of the regular season. It was good to see our pitchers throw it with some confidence today too. Morrissette has been getting better each time out after coming back from foot surgery last summer. Pruchniak and Richeson threw it well out of the pen to close it out too. We're going to need our bullpen to keep pitching like that if we want to make a run in the conference tournament. Like I told them after the game, we need pitching and defense every inning if we want to win the conference tournament. Should be a fun one next week, getting to play in our own backyard. We're looking forward to it."
– Head Coach Grant Hieb
Up Next
The Cougars now turn their attention to the NSIC Baseball Tournament, May 6-9, held in Sioux Falls, S.D. Tournament details will be available HERE.
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