BISMARCK, ND – A big pitching performance from
Aiden Johnson and another double-digit offensive performance earned the #RV University of Mary baseball team a split with visiting University of Minnesota Duluth. After the Bulldogs claimed the opener 4-2, Johnson limited UMD to one earned run in seven innings while
Andrew Linn and
Isaac Pegors combined to drive in nine runs in a 14-4 win.
The game two victory keeps UMary firmly entrenched in third place in the Northern Sun standings. With 18 wins in their last 23 games, the Marauders are 23-15 overall and 16-9 in the Northern Sun. Minnesota Duluth is 14-26 and 13-15 in the NSIC.
The two teams close out their 3-game Northern Sun series with a single 9-inning game at 11 am on Monday, April 20, at Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, ND.
GAME 1: Minnesota Duluth 4 University of Mary 2
One swing of the bat provided visiting University of Minnesota Duluth all the runs the Bulldogs needed to down the University of Mary 4-2.
Scoreless through two innings, the Bulldogs opened the third inning with three straight one-out singles. With the bases loaded, Gabe Richardson then yanked a 2-strike pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam and 4-0 UMD lead.
UMD followed the Richardson blast with two more hits before UMary starter
Lucas Burgum regained control of the game. One of the nation's leaders for fewest hits allowed per nine innings and WHIP (walks plus hits allowed per innings pitched), six of the nine hits he allowed over his six innings came during a stretch of six straight hitters.
Burgum, who struck out four and walked two, has now pitched at least five innings in all nine of his starts this season.
The Marauders made a run in the seventh and final inning.
Isaac Pegors led off with a single and
Bryce Leafgren followed with a home run to left field to cut the deficit in half.
Hank Griffin followed with a double but a pitching change from Henry Wilkinson to Joe Gizzi short-circuited the Marauders comeback hopes as Gizzi induced a groundout and a double-play lineout to end the game.
Griffin picked up two of the Marauders six hits in the game.
Kaden Coldwell pitched a scoreless seventh inning for UMary.
After holding UMary scoreless through six innings, Wilkinson allowed six hits and two runs over six innings pitched. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.
GAME 2: UMary 14 UMD 4
Striking for five runs with two outs in the first inning, the Marauders jumped out to an early lead and never let up in a game shortened by the 10-run rule.
Aiden Johnson held the Bulldogs to just one earned run in seven innings of work and
Andrew Linn and
Isaac Pegors combined forces to drive home nine runs in a 14-4 victory.
UMary wasted no time taking a lead. With one out,
Marcus Butts was struck by a pitch and
Isaac Pegors followed with a double to left. After a fly ball out,
Andrew Linn blasted a shot over the left field wall to give UMary a sudden 3-0 lead. Two walks sandwiched around another hit batter loaded the bases for UMary and forced a pitching change.
Mikey Ramirez greeted the new UMD pitcher rudely, singling up the middle to score two more runs.
The Bulldogs tallied twice in the second before the Marauders got one back in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back one out singles by Butts and Pegors and a walk to Leafgren to load the bases led to a Linn sacrifice fly to push the UMary advantage to 6-2.
Pegors led off the fourth inning with a home run and then hit a 2-run single in the fifth. Linn followed with an infield RBI single and UMary led 10-2 after five.
Hank Griffin hit a solo home run in a 2-run seventh inning and two more Marauders runs in the eighth cut the game short by an inning.
Pegors championed the Marauders 14-hit attack with four hits, including a double and a home run. He scored three times and drove in four. Walking twice, he reached base in all six at bats.
Linn went 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBIs.
Butts and Griffin both scored three times and had two hits. Griffin also had an RBI on his home run.
Luke Rhee also scored twice.
Johnson struck out four Bulldogs in seven innings. He gave up seven hits and walked two.
Sam Kliber, Hayden Anthony and Michael Gabbard had two hits each for UMD with Logan Myers scoring twice.
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