BISMARCK, ND – A 2-run home run and a 2-run single by Noah Hull bookended a University of Mary baseball 8-5 win in the home opener over Wayne State College. The Wildcats came back to claim the nightcap 8-6 to earn a split of the Northern Sun doubleheader against the Marauders.
 
The Marauders and the Wildcats wrap up their 4-game NSIC series with a doubleheader set for 12 noon on Friday, March 28, at Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, ND.
 
GAME 1: University of Mary 8 Wayne State College 5
Playing at home for the first time in the 2025 season, the Marauders rallied for an 8-5 win on the first game played on artificial turf at Municipal Ballpark. The new playing surface was installed last fall on UMary's home field.
 
Noah Hull opened the scoring with a 2-run opposite field home run over the left field wall in the first inning to give the Marauders an early 2-0 lead. Defensive miscues by the Wildcats in the second inning plated two more runs for the Marauders.
 
Capped by a Quinn McCafferty 3-run home run, the Wildcats scored five times in the third to take a 5-4 lead.
 
UMary recaptured the lead with two runs in the fifth. Kieran Gaffney singled home Hank Griffin to tie the game before the Marauders third baseman scored on a wild pitch for a 6-5 Marauders lead.
 
A 2-out 2-run single by Hull in the 6^th inning provided some breathing room for UMary relief pitcher Konnor Kirchoffner.
 
Kirchoffner, who entered the game in the fifth inning, pitched a clean seventh to close out the win and earn his first UMary win. The junior righthander, who also has two saves this season, retired the last six hitters he faced in the game. Kirchoffner recorded 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out one hitter.
 
Hull finished with four RBIs. The All-NSIC first baseman was 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and a stolen base. Kalem Haney went 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in one run.
 
Cam Madsen and McCafferty both had three hits for the Wildcats.
 
GAME 2: Wildcats 8 Marauders 6
Wayne State College took advantage of UMary miscues and scored the final two runs of the game to earn an 8-6 win.
 
The Marauders claimed their only lead of the game in the second inning when Isaac Pegors smashed a line drive 2-run home run over the left field wall for a 2-1 UMary lead.
 
Combining three hits and three Marauders errors, the Wildcats scored five times in the fourth inning to grab a 6-2 lead. Just two of the five runs were earned.
 
Bryce Leafgren cut into the UMary deficit with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning before pulling even in the fifth. A 2-out bases loaded walk to Noah Hull forced home one run before a poor throw on an attempted force-out at second base allowed two more runs to score, knotting the game at 6-6.
 
The Wildcats scored single runs in the 6^th and 7^th innings to pull ahead 8-6. Strong relief pitching by the visitors limited the Marauders to two hits and three baserunners over the final four innings.
 
Leafgren, Kalem Haney and Pegors all went 2-for-4 in the game for UMary. Leafgren scored two runs and scored once. Pegors had two RBIs.
 
Chase Douglas and Quinn McCafferty both drove in two runs for Wayne State. Keinan Lentell pitched 3.1 scoreless innings to earn the win. He allowed one hit and struck out four.
 
The Marauders and the Wildcats are both 12-11 overall and 8-6 in the Northern Sun.
 
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