MARSHALL, MN –
Bryce Leafgren blasted home runs in back to back innings and
Isaac Pegors tied the University of Mary baseball single season record for home runs as the Marauders powered their way to a 12-9 win over Southwest Minnesota State University to earn a doubleheader split with the Mustangs. SMSU claimed the opener 7-2.
GAME ONE: Southwest Minnesota State University 7 University of Mary 2
A pair of crooked innings for host Southwest Minnesota State University carried the Mustangs past the University of Mary in the opening game of the weekend in a three-game Northern Sun series. SMSU scored four times in the third and three more times in the sixth to claim the 7-2 win.
The Marauders scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
PIVOT POINT
Scoreless through the first two innings, the Mustangs crossed the plate four times in the third to take a commanding lead. Following a sacrifice fly to score the first run, Cory Bantam cracked a single to score one run with a second coming home on a UMary error. Jared Cortez added a run-scoring single to give the Mustangs a 4-0 lead.
The Marauders finally broke through in the sixth on a run-scoring single by
Isaac Pegors to score
Luke Rhee before Mustangs ace Ryan Chmielewski closed out the inning. SMSU followed with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to go ahead 7-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
STAT OF THE GAME
The two teams combined to strand just eight runners in the game – five by UMary and three by SMSU…
Isaac Pegors closed to within three RBIs of the single season school record of 54 by
Josh Walker (2023).
GAME TWO: Marauders 12 Mustangs 9
Bryce Leafgren cracked a 2-run home run in the second inning and a 3-run blast in the third to propel the visiting Marauders to a 12-9 win over the Mustangs. Leafgren's two round trippers highlighted eight straight runs scored by UMary as the Marauders jumped out to a commanding 8-1 lead.
Isaac Pegors,
Krece Papierski and
Kieran Gaffney also homered as the Marauders connected for five round trippers in the game to one for the Mustangs.
Pegors is now tied for the UMary single-season home run record with 14, equaling Derek Shoen's total set in 2022. Pegors is also two away from equaling the program's single season record for runs batted in of 54, set by
Josh Walker in 2023.
PIVOT POINT
Bryce Leafgren gave the Marauders an early 2-1 lead with a two-run home run in the second inning. UMary followed up with six more runs in the third.
Noah Hull, the Marauders career leader in RBIs, built on his total with a two-run single in the third. Leafgren followed with a 3-run shot to center field. Not yet done scoring,
Mikey Ramirez pushed the UMary lead to 8-1 with a run-scoring double to left center.
After SMSU closed within 8-5, UMary hit three home runs in the sixth inning. Pegors led off with a solo shot to center field. Two outs later Papierski hit a two-run blast to left center. Gaffney then followed with a home run over the left field wall for an insurmountable 12-5 advantage.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Isaac Pegors 1-for-5, HR, 2 R, RBI
- Noah Hull 1-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBIs, 2 BB
- Bryce Leafgren 2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBIs
- Krece Papierski 3-for-4, HR, 1 R, 2 RBIs
- Kieran Gaffney, HR, 2 R, 1 RBI
- Mikey Ramirez 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB
- Jeff Tiw 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 Ks
- Sam Hayen 1.0 IP, 0 R, O H, 2 Ks, save
- Owen Latendresse (SMSU) 4-for-5, 2 R
- Cory Bantam (SMSU) 1-for-2, 2B, 4 RBIs
STAT OF THE GAME
- Marauders totaled six extra base hits
- UMary earned eight walks and two batters were hit by a pitch
- Isaac Pegors tied the Marauders single-season home run record of 14, set by Derek Shoen in 2022
- Pegors is two RBIs from tying the Marauders single season record of 54 by Josh Walker in 2023
- Noah Hull is one hit from equaling the UMary career record of 198, set Cal James
ON DECK
The Marauders and the Mustangs wrap up their weekend series with a single nine-inning game on Sunday, April 27, at Legion Field in Marshall, MN. First pitch is set for 12 noon.
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