Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Duluth, MN – Unable to hold multiple run leads in both games, the University of Mary closed out the 2012 season with a pair of losses at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs captured game one 9-6 and ended the day with a 5-4 victory. By virtue of a weekend sweep of the Marauders, the Bulldogs captured the sixth and final slot in the Northern Sun conference tournament.
 
The Marauders built a 5-0 lead in the opener and jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the second game but failed to stave off a Bulldogs rally in either game.
 
Leadoff hitter Tyler Steffan provided the Marauders with a fast start, bashing his fourth home run of the season over the centerfield fence for a quick 1-0 U-Mary lead.
 
U-Mary scored twice in both the fourth and fifth innings. A wild pitch and a run-scoring single by Derek Sommerville accounted for the Marauders runs in the fourth and a Bulldogs error and a wild pitch in the fifth pushed the Marauders advantage to 5-0.
 
The Bulldogs would score in only one inning in the first game, plating nine runs on a combination of seven hits, three errors, two wild pitches and one walk as 13 hitters made an appearance in the fifth inning. Six of the first seven Bulldogs hitters recorded hits. Anders Engberg hit a two-run double to pull UMD within 5-4. Back to back errors by the Marauders middle infielders opened the floodgates to another five runs and a 9-5 Bulldogs lead.
 
Sam Salveson led off the seventh inning with a solo blast to close out the scoring for U-Mary.
 
Sommerville led the Marauders with two hits. Steffan and Salveson both scored twice for U-Mary.
 
Cody Aasen paced the Bulldogs with three hits. Engberg had two hits, drove in two and scored once. Max Ryan scored twice, drove in a run and had two hits.
 
U-Mary's final game of the season also proved to be a heartbreaker as the Marauders were unable to maintain their three run lead and take advantage of five errors by the Bulldogs.
 
Once again the Marauders started fast. Steffan and Cory Herback led off with back-to-back singles through the left side of the infield. Following a sacrifice bunt, Duane Kiyota Jr., singled home one Steffan and an error by UMD brought home Herback. Two more UMD errors in the third scored Steve Pletan and increased U-Mary's lead to 3-0.
 
UMD would get on the board with a solo run in the third before taking the lead in the fourth. After a home run by Engberg to open the inning, four more consecutive hits followed to drive Marauders starting pitcher Kyle Lozensky out of the game. A sacrifice fly greeted Marauders reliever McKeon Meyhoff and the Bulldogs led 4-3.
 
Two more Bulldogs miscues in the seventh allowed the Marauders to tie the game at 4-4. Marice Burrough reached on an error and later came around to score on another botched play.
 
The Marauders returned the favor in the eighth. Leading off the inning, Engberg reached on an error. A walk and a sacrifice bunt moved him to third before he scored on a single through the left side by Ryan.
 
Sommerville hit a one-out pinch hit single in the ninth but the Marauders were unable to find a way to knot the game.
 
Kiyota was 3-for-4 in his final game for the Marauders as the senior generated nearly half of the Marauders seven hits.
 
Meyhoff led a stellar performance by the Marauders bullpen, throwing three scoreless innings. He allowed one hit and struck out one batter. Overall, four Marauders allowed one unearned run and three hits in five innings of work.
 
Engberg had two hits and scored twice for the Bulldogs. He also pitched a nine-inning complete game, striking out nine and allowing just one unearned run.
 
The Marauders finish the season 9-41 overall and 8-28 in conference play. The Bulldogs are 25-25 and 17-18.
 
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