BISMARCK, ND – Despite allowing just one run over a span of 12 inning across two games, the University of Mary dropped a pair of conference games to visiting Wayne State College. The Marauders held the Wildcats scoreless in 12 of 16 innings overall on the day but a trio of multi-run innings allowed Wayne State to edge the Marauders 2-1 in the opener and 7-3 in game two.
UMary slips to 12-13 overall and 8-8 in the Northern Sun. Wayne State is 14-11 and 10-6.
GAME 1: Wayne State College 2 UMary 1
Cullen Wilson and
Jacob Burgess threw six straight scoreless innings for UMary but Wayne State scored the only two runs it needed in the first inning of a seven-inning contest.
Making his first collegiate start, Wilson was tagged for two runs in the first inning on a single by Taylor Gill and a double by Quinn McCafferty. The freshman righthander soon dialed in and tossed three straight scoreless innings. Burgess took over in the fifth inning and match Wilson's run with three scoreless innings of his own. Taking advantage of two double plays, Wilson faced just ten hitters in three innings, one above the minimum.
Unable to score over the first three innings despite a hit in each, UMary broke onto the scoreboard in the fourth inning when
Bryce Leafgren launched a home run over the left field wall. The Marauders added baserunners in the final three innings – including an
Isaac Pegors double off the wall in left center and a leadoff walk in the seventh – but was unable to find the equalizer.
Wilson was tagged for two runs on four hits in four innings. He struck out two. Burgess allowed two hits and no walks and struck out one in three scoreless innings.
Leafgren and
Luke Rhee both had two hits for UMary.
Chase Douglas had two hits for Wayne State and scored a run. Jackson Shelbourne limited UMary to one run on six hits and no walks in six innings.
GAME 2: Wildcats 7 UMary 3
Behind a strong start by
Jeff Tiw and timely runs by the Marauders, UMary looked on its way to earning a split before rain started to fall on Municipal Ballpark.
Scoring twice in the first on an bases loaded walk to
Isaac Pegors and a
Kieran Gaffney fielder's choice, the Marauders built a 3-1 lead in the third inning on a Gaffney run-scoring single.
Rain started falling in the fifth inning and the tide turned in the Marauders in the seventh. The Wildcats loaded the bases on a hit batter and two walks. Two straight wild pitches scored two runs to tie the game at 3-3. Another walk was followed by another wild pitch to score the go-ahead run.
Wayne State created separation in the eighth with another 3-run outburst.
Tiw held the Wildcats to one run on four hits in a career-best five innings of work. He struck out three and walked just one.
Bryce Leafgren had a pair of doubles and a stolen base to lead the UMary attack.
Marcus Butts added two hits, including a double.
Max Heard and Casey Prychak posted two hits each for Wayne State and Braden Cannon scored twice.
The Marauders next host Highway 83 rival Minot State University in a single 9-inning on Wednesday, April 2. First pitch is set for 2 pm.
#marauders#
