DULUTH, MN – The University of Mary has earned a spot in the Northern Sun baseball tournament for the third time in four seasons. A third straight impressive start by Marauders righthander Ryan Chamberlain lifted visiting UMary to a split of its Northern Sun doubleheader at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs won the opener 4-1 before the Marauders claimed the nightcap 7-2.
 
With one game remaining in the regular season the Marauders are 23-24 overall and 19-18 in the NSIC. UMary is currently tied with Southwest Minnesota State University for 6^th place. Concordia-St. Paul is 8^th at 19-19. The Marauders can finish anywhere from 6^th place to 8^th. Both SMSU and CSP play two games on Saturday while UMary plays once.
 
The Marauders finish the regular season Saturday, May 3, against the Bulldogs. First pitch is slated for 1:30 pm at Wade Stadium in Duluth, MN.   
 
The 2024 NSIC Baseball Tournament takes place May 8-11. The University of Mary hosts the tournament for the second straight year. The top eight teams in the final NSIC standings compete in a double elimination tournament for an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament. Games will be played at Veterans Memorial Ballpark in Mandan, ND, and Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, ND.
 
GAME 1 UMD 4 UMary 1
Another strong start by Lukas Frers wasn't enough for the University of Mary in the twin bill opener against the University of Minnesota Duluth. After throwing 10.2 consecutive scoreless innings over his last two starts, Frers allowed single runs in four innings to take a tough loss.
 
The Bulldogs scored a run in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings of the Marauders lefthander. Frers allowed three earned runs in five innings, giving up one walk and ten hits while striking out three.
 
Brayden Buttweiler was strong on the hill for UMD. The graduate student allowed just two hits, a walk and a run in 6.2 innings in his final start for UMD.  
 
The Marauders lone run came in the 7^th inning when a 1-out bases-loaded walk to Daniel Martin forced home Carter Beck. UMary's hopes to continue the rally ended abruptly as the Bulldogs turned a line drive into a game-ending double play.
 
A Beck double and a Kalem Haney single were the Marauders only hits in the game.
 
GAME 2 UMary 7 UMD 2
The Marauders regained their offensive stride in the second game, compiling seven runs and ten hits to get back into the win column for the ninth time in 13 games and clinch a postseason berth.
 
UMary scored two in the third on singles by Kalem Haney and Carter Beck to take a 2-0 lead but UMD scored once in the bottom of the inning to pull within 2-1.
 
Dylan Edmands hit a 2-run double in the 6^th inning to expand the UMary lead to 4-1. Once again UMD scored a single run in the home half of the inning to keep within a pair of runs.
 
The Marauders finally pulled away late in the game. After Bryce Leafgren doubled home a run and Carter Shi hit a run-scoring triple in the 8^th inning, Beck doubled home one more run in the 9^th to finish off the scoring.
 
For the second straight game Chamberlain pitched eight innings, his career-high. The sophomore righthander struck out six, allowed seven hits and didn't walk a batter. Chamberlain has won his last three starts.
 
Seven Marauders had hits in the game, including three with two hits each.
 
Both Beck and Edmands went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Beck, the freshman centerfielder, also made a tremendous catch to close out the game as he tracked down a ball in deep center. Josh Walker had a pair of hits and scored twice. Kalem Haney had one hit, scored twice, drove in a run and had two walks.
 
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