WAYNE, NE – Austin Wagner used a devastating array of pitches to break the University of Mary record for strikeouts in a single game to headline the Marauders Northern Sun doubleheader sweep of the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Marauders captured the opener 6-3 as Wagner struck out 15 Bulldogs and Noah Hull drove in five runs. A strong starting performance by Parker Wakelyn in game two led the Marauders to a 6-5 victory, completing the weekend sweep over UMD and extending the UMary win streak to six games.
 
GAME ONE | University of Mary 6 University of Minnesota Duluth 3
One of the nation's leaders in strikeouts was in exceptional form in the opening game of the day. Austin Wagner totaled 15 strikeouts behind the devastating combination of a 90 mile an hour fastball and a wipeout slider. The lefthander registered 12 of the first 13 outs of the game on strikeouts.
 
The Bulldogs struck first, scoring twice in the top of the first inning on a pair of hits, a hit batter and an error. With a runner on third and one out, Wagner fanned the next two hitters to close the inning without allowing any more runs.
 
The Marauders immediately struck back. Singles by Michael Polson, Calvin James and Derek Shoen led to the opening run before Noah Hull delivered the biggest blow of the day, driving a 3-run blast over the right field fence for a 4-0 UMary lead.
 
UMD closed the gap to 4-3 in the fifth inning as Brandt Kolpack tripled and scored on a Tosten Mann single up the middle. Wagner immediately tamped down the rally as he retired the next two Bulldogs. UMary retaliated with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a 2-out 2-run single up the middle to push the Marauders advantage to 6-3.
 
After striking out the first two hitters of the sixth inning, including Alex Wattermann to set the Marauders record, Wagner was pulled after allowing an infield single. Freshman Gabe Ridenour retired the next four batters to close out the victory and earn his second save of the season.
 
PIVOT POINT
The Bulldogs scored with one out in the 5^th inning to close within 4-3 before Wagner slammed the door shut on the Bulldogs. Hull drove in two more runs in the bottom of the inning for a 6-3 UMary lead. With the added cushion, Wagner came back for the sixth and picked up the two strikeouts needed set the school record.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Cal James | 2x4, 2 R
• Noah Hull | 2x3, 1 R, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
• Austin Wagner | 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 15 Ks (W 3-2)
• Gabe Ridenour | 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K (S 2)

 
STAT OF THE GAME
Austin Wagner set a new Marauders record with 15 strikeouts. The old mark was 14 by Mike Gustavsson in 1999. The old NCAA-era record was 13 by Jake Johnson against UMD in 2016.
 
GAME TWO | UMary 6 UMD 5
Parker Wakelyn provided UMary a second impressive starting pitching performance on the day as the Marauders extended their season-best winning streak to six games. Wakelyn pitched five straight shutout innings to start the game as UMary built a 6-0 lead. The sophomore lefty allowed just one run in six innings of work on the day. He gave up just five hits and walked four while striking out three.
 
Every Marauders stater reached base either by a hit or a walk. Michael Polson led the Marauders attack with two hits, two runs scored, two RBIs and a double.
 
The Bulldogs made the game interesting. With two outs in the ninth, UMD parlayed a walk, a single and back-to-bac doubles into three runs. Mark Schommer put the uprising to rest with a strikeout of Wattermann to leave the tying run on second.  
 
TURNING POINT
The Marauders started fast one again. Derek Shoen blasted a 2-run home run to left, scoring Micheal Polson who had led off the first with a single. The home run was the 12^th of the season for Shoen, tying the mark set by Steve Laasko in 1998. The Marauders played with the lead the whole game.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Michael Polson | 2x3, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 RBIs, 2 BB
• Derek Shoen | 1x4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
• Riley Schlimm | 1x2, 1 R, 2 BB
• Parker Wakelyn | 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 3 K (W 4-1)

 
STAT OF THE GAME
Derek Shoen tied the school single season home run record of 12 previously set by Steve Laasko in 1999… All nine hitters in the Marauders lineup either reached base by a hit or a walk… UMD pitchers walked nine.
 
ON DECK
The Marauders are scheduled to play a doubleheader at Bemidji State University on Wednesday, April 20, before hosting Minot State University in a three-game set April 23-24.
 
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