BISMARCK, N.D. – Looking to bump a nearby rival off its playoff path, the University of Mary nearly succeeded in the opener before failing to keep pace with Northern State University in the nightcap. In their final home games of the season, the Marauders lost a late lead in a 3-2 loss before dropping game two to the Wolves 10-2.
 
Making his first start of the season in the opener, Zach Steckler held one of the top lineups in the conference in check through six innings, limiting Northern State to four hits and one run. The Wolves (25-20 overall, 18-14 NSIC) entered the game fourth in the Northern Sun in most offensive categories.
 
Down a run in the third, the Marauders (8-38, 6-26) used small ball to knot the game at 1-1. Tom Imholte led off with an opposite field double down the right field line and moved to third on a ground out. Imholte then charged home on a 1-2 pitch and scored easily on a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Ethan Meide.
 
Looking to break the tie in the sixth, Meide led off with a single to center, took second on a Mason Schiff hit and captured third on a wild pitch. The third baseman then scored on a single through the left side by Drew Feuerbach.
 
After Steckler walked the opening hitter in the seventh, freshman Kenny Slominski was brought on to close out the game. The NSIC leader in pitching appearances struck out the first two hitters he faced before allowing a walk. A Tyler Gripentrog single to left brought home the tying run. Another walk loaded the bases before Robert Fahlin was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run for the Wolves.
 
Refusing to go away, Brett Doepker hit a one-out pinch-hit single for Mary in the bottom of the seventh. Another pinch-hitter, Ben Hildestad, followed. He hit a rocket that looked destined for the left field corner until Wolves third baseman Lucas Lorenz leaped as high as he could to snare the line shot in the webbing of his glove for the second out. An Imholte bunt single keet the rally alive before the game ended on a pop up to short.
 
Steckler allowed just two runs - both earned – in six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks and struck out eight in his longest outing of the season.
 
Imholte paced the Marauders with a 2-for-3 outing. In all Mary posted six hits.
 
Riley Shintaffer led the Wolves attack, finishing 2-for-2 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
 
Colten Boucher earned the win, striking out six while allowing two runs, no walks and four hits in 6.1 innings.
 
The Wolves jumped out fast in game two and dominated the middle innings. After Northern State's first two hitters of the game reached on walks, Lorenz lined a home run over the left field wall for his 11^th of the season and a 3-0 lead.
 
Working to get back into the game immediately, Meide led off with a singe to left and Mason Schiff followed with a ground ball single through the left side. Sean Hennen then hit a one-out single through the right side to score Meide to close within 3-1. The inning ended on a double play grounder.
 
Clay Bassingthwaite led off the second with a double deep to center field for the Marauders and scored on a Wolves error, pulling Mary within a run at 3-2.
 
The Marauders could get no closer as the Wolves scored once in the fourth, twice in the fifth, three times in the sixth and one more time in the seventh.
 
Mary knocked out 12 hits in the game, just three fewer than Northern State, but never could find the clutch knock needed to get back into the game.
 
Meide posted a career-high three hits and scored once in five at bats. Bassingthwaite was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Schiff also added two hits.
 
Gripentrog led NSU with a 3-for-5 performance, scoring twice and driving in a run. Six others had two hits.
 
The Marauders close out the 2015 season with a four game set at Bemidji State University on Friday and Saturday, May 1-2.
 
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