WAYNE, NE – Behind the power of double-digit hits in both games and two-figure extra base hits on the day, the University of Mary baseball team reached 20 wins for a sixth straight season in a doubleheader split at Wayne State College. The Marauders won the opener 10-6 with the Wildcats claiming the night cap 10-7.
The Marauders needed just 33 games to reach 20 wins, the fastest UMary has reached 20 wins in the program's NCAA era. The fewest games previously needed to post 20 games was 38 in 2021.
UMary (20-14 overall, 13-8 Northern Sun) and Wayne State (20-16, 12-11 NSIC) wrap up the NSIC weekend series with a 9-inning contest on Sunday, April 12. First pitch is set for 12 noon.
GAME 1: University of Mary 10 Wayne State College 6
Bryce Leafgren and
Cru Walker combined for five hits and seven RBIs to lead the Marauders to a 10-6 game one win over the Wildcats. UMary rapped out 13 hits, including four doubles and a home run, in the seven-inning game.
Walker sparked a 5-run second inning for UMary when the senior catcher opened the Marauders outburst with a 2-run double down the left field line.
Isaac Pegors and Leafgren followed with run-scoring singles.
An RBI single by Walker in the third expanded UMary's lead to 6-0. Leafgren then delivered the Marauders next three runs with a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a 2-run home run in the sixth inning. A Wildcats error in the sixth produced another Marauders run to expand UMary's lead to 10-3.
The Wildcats pressed the issue with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh before
Cole Smith came into the game with two on and one out. The sophomore reliever immediately slammed the door, facing two hitters and getting the final two outs to earn his third save of the season.
Lucas Burgum had another stellar start for UMary. The junior righthander struck out eight in six innings, limiting the Wildcats to three earned runs on six hits and one walk.
Leafgren was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs. Walker finished 3-for-4 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs.
Kieran Gaffney posted pair of hits and scored twice. Pegors added two hits, scored a run and drove in a run.
Marcus Butts registered two hits and scored a run.
Hank Griffin scored twice.
Nate Cunningham posted a pair of home runs for Wayne State College.
GAME 2: Wayne State 10 UMary 7
The Marauders pounded out four home runs but couldn't match the scoring pace of the Wildcats in a 10-7 loss.
Marcus Butts hit both a double and a home run to pace UMary's 12-hit attack.
Isaac Pegors homered in the first inning to give UMary a quick lead. Wayne State responded with the next seven runs.
Butts broke the Wildcats string of runs with a solo home run in the sixth inning to pull UMary within 7-2. After Wayne State scored again in the seventh, UMary tallied four times in the eighth on a
Luke Rhee RBI single and a 3-run home run by
Andrew Linn, pulling UMary within 8-6. Following two more runs by the Wildcats,
Hank Griffin closed the scoring with a solo home run in the ninth for UMary.
Four Marauders had two hits. Butts, Griffin and Rhee all had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run.
Kieran Gaffney had two hits and scored once.
Cam Madsen finished 4-for-4 for Wayne State, driving in three runs and scoring once. Braden Sweet picked up the win after limiting UMary to two runs and five hits in 5.1 innings.
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