MANDAN, ND – In the final game of the regular season, a long walk-off home run by Quentin Evers propels the University of Mary into the post-season on a high note as the Marauders defeat Northern State University 6-3. The victory not only gives the Marauders a weekend sweep of the Wolves but also earns UMary the sixth seed in the upcoming Northern Sun tournament. The second home run of the game for Evers, his walk-off blast was the 48^th home run of the season for UMary, tying the team record originally set in 2000.
 
The Marauders finish the regular season on a four-game win streak, including two wins this week on walk-off home runs. Spencer Gillund hit a 3-run home run in the 10^th inning of a 6-3 UMary win over St. Cloud State University on Wednesday. Now the Marauders will face the Huskies in the opening round of the NSIC tournament.
 
UMary finishes the 2021 conference season with a record of 18-14 (.563 conference winning percentage) and 21-18 overall to finish 6^th in the NSIC standings, just edging ahead of Winona State University (19-16/.543). Since joining the NSIC for the 2007 baseball season, this is the first time in program history the Marauders have qualified for the postseason tournament.
 
The Marauders will face 3^rd seed SCSU in a best-of-3 series on Thursday and Friday, May 13-14, in St. Cloud, MN. A single game will be played Thursday and Friday. A second game will also be played Friday if necessary. Game times and field locations will be announced later this week.
 
The other first round matchups include #8 Sioux Falls at #1 Minnesota State, #7 Winona State at #2 Augustana, and #5 Minnesota Crookston at #4 Minot State. The four first-round winners then advance to Sioux Falls, SD, beginning Wednesday, May 19 at Karras Park for the double elimination portion of the tournament. The NSIC tournament champion advances on to the NCAA regional tournament.
 
A back-and-forth contest, the Marauders tied the game in the second inning on a solo home run by Evers. UMary claimed a 3-1 lead in the third inning. Calvin James led off with a walk and took third on a double by starting pitcher Ty Jones. Two outs later, Gillund connected for a high, deep fly ball to left field that hit off the top of the wall for a 2-run double.
 
The Marauders had opportunities to extend their lead but instead stranded four runners in the next three innings. The Wolves soon took advantage of a Marauders miscue to score two unearned runs in the seventh inning.
 
Andrew Brooks then took over for the Marauders and the hard-throwing righty set the Wolves down in order in the 8^th and 9^th innings to set up more late-game heroics for UMary.
 
Derek Shoen earned a walk to start the 9^th and Dakota Finley walked two outs later to bring Evers to the plate. After taking a ball on the first pitch, Evers delivered for the Marauders on the second, sending his sixth home run of the season into the stratosphere.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Quentin Evers | 2x5, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBIs
• Spencer Gillund | 1x3, 2B 2 RBIs
• Dakota Finley | 2x4, 1 R
• Derek Shoen | 3x4, 1R
• Tyrus Barclay | 2x5
• Ty Jones | 2x5, 1 R | 5.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 5BB, 8K
• Jayden Smith | 1.2 IP, 2H, 0 ER, 2K
• Andrew Brooks | 2.0 IP, 0R. 4K
• NSU Ben Carolin | 2x4, 2B, 1R, 1BB

 
STAT OF THE GAME
The Marauders tied the 2000 team record for home runs with 48… Quentin Evers tied the Marauders NCAA-era record for home runs in a single game with two. Teammates Cal James has accomplished the feat three times and Ty Jones twice… This is the third time the Marauders have hit a walk-off home run. Derek Shoen hit one against Augustana, Spencer Gillund against St. Cloud State and Evers against Northern State… UMary has now clinched its first winning season of the NCAA-era, set an NCAA-era recorded for most wins, posted its first winning season in NSIC play and posted a program record for NSIC wins in a season.  
 
ON DECK
The Marauders play in their NSIC tournament debut this week when the #6 Marauders visit #3 St. Cloud State in a best of three series on Thursday and Friday, May 13-14. Times and fields to be announced later this week.
 
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