BISMARCK, ND – A walk-off home run by
Derek Shoen lifted the University of Mary baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Augustana University in the opening game of Saturday's Northern Sun doubleheader. It was the biggest of the five home runs the Marauders hit on the day against the Vikings. Augie rebounded to out-slug UMary 11-9 in the second game.
GAME ONE University of Mary 5 Augustana 4
Facing one of the top hurlers in the nation, the University of Mary (10-9 overall / 8-6 NSIC) ground out a 5-4 win over Augustana (16-5 / 12-5). After seeing Tanner Brown extend his shutout streak to 17 innings with two scoreless innings to start the game, the Marauders erupted for four runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Both
Spencer Gillund and
Ty Jones cracked 2-run home runs in the inning. Entering the game, Brown had allowed one earned run this season in 24 innings.
With ace
Austin Wagner unable to pitch the opener,
Kody Jones was exceptional as a late replacement. Facing the top offense in the NSIC, Jones had allowed just single runs in the second and fourth to keep UMary in the game. In his five-inning appearance he allowed four runs on just five hits and one walk while striking out five.
PIVOT POINT
Scoreless innings by
Andrew Brooks in the sixth and
Paxton Miller in the seventh set the stage for Shoen. Facing one of the hardest throwers in the nation, Shoen drove a 3-1 fastball over the center field fence above the 390 sign. It was his third home run of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Derek Shoen was 2-for-4 with a HR, an RBI and a run
- Spencer Gillund finished 1-for-3 with a home run, a run scored and two RBIs
- Ty Jones was 1-for-2 with a home run, a walk, 2 RBIs and a run scored
- Jaxon Rosencranz had a 2-run HR for Augie
STAT OF THE GAME
The Marauders have six multi-homer games this season.
GAME TWO Augie 11 UMary 9
Fighting from behind all game, the Marauders made a late run but could never overcome an early seven run deficit against the Vikings.
Calvin James posted five hits, including a home run, and
Tyrus Barclay also left the yard as the Marauders pounded out 12 hits in the game. The Marauders scored three times in the ninth inning and brought the winning run to the plate but wasn't able to replicate their magic from the opener.
PIVOT POINT
The Vikings scored multiple runs in each of the first three innings to build an insurmountable lead, headlined by home runs in both the first and third innings,
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Tyrus Barclas was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and 2 RBIs.
- Calvin James finished 5-for-5 with a home run, a double, 4 RBIs and 2 runs
- James Martin scored twice and had a double
- Augie's Christian Kuzemka had three hits, a HR and 3 RBIs
STAT OF THE DAY
Calvin James tied the Marauders NCAA-era single game record with five hits. He is the sixth UMary hitter since 2007 to accomplish this feat. The others are Mitch Peterson (2007), Marice Burrough (2013), Tom Imholte (2015), Jason Shaul (2016) and
Alec Battest (2020).
ON DECK
The Marauders and Vikings are scheduled to close out their weekend series with a single 9-inning game on Sunday, April 11, at Municipal Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 12 noon.
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