Tuesday's scheduled Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader got started a bit late but still provided plenty of spark, as the day began with Minnesota State University Mankato (R.V.) walking off the University of MInnesota Duluth 3-2 in 11 innings to conclude Monday's second game that was called due to darkness tied 2-2 after eight innings. UMD (10-6, 3-1 NSIC) rallied with four unanswered runs in the final innings to knock off the Mavericks 4-3 in game one before using the home run ball to its advantage to down MSU 13-9 in the nightcap.

Junior left-hander Kevin Stocke took the hill to start the first official game of the doubleheader and worked his way out of trouble after allowing a one-out double in the second inning. Minnesota State (10-8, 1-3 NSIC, R.V.) would get another one-out double off the bat of senior outfielder Chase Lonetti in the third and this time made good with a pair of hit batters reaching base, followed by RBI singles from Taylor Branstad and Josh Wenzel that put the Mavericks up 3-0 after three.

The Bulldogs put together a pair of rallies to score single runs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings. After a pair of singles by junior catcher Marco Lucarelli and junior shortstop Brian Pierce, junior outfielder Grant Farley put UMD on the board in the fifth with a two-out double down the right field line, plating Lucarelli. Senior third baseman Kyle Comer led off the next inning with a walk, advanced a base on a wild pitch, got to third on a groundball, and came home to score on a sacrifice fly from freshman designated hitter Tyler Wojciechowski. Stocke would close out his day in the bottom of the frame after working 5.2 innings and striking out four. A single and sacrifice bunt, followed by a walk, left two on as sophomore right-hander Alex Ferguson (1-1) entered out of the bullpen, forcing a groundball to close out the inning without any damage.

UMD would break through in the top of the seventh, taking its first lead of the afternoon. Pierce started the rally with a single, advancing on a passed ball, with back-to-back doubles by Farley and senior first baseman Alex Wojciechowski putting the Bulldogs up 4-3 and knocking sophomore left-hander Aaron Rozek (2-1) out of the game after 6.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs allowed. The rally would end there as a wild pitch advanced the elder Wojciechowski to third but he was tagged out at home trying to stretch the lead to two. It would be enough though as Ferguson worked into and out of trouble in the bottom of the inning, collecting his first victory of the season after 1.1 innings.

UMD 13, Minnesota State 9
A. Wojciechowski went 5-for-6 and launched three home runs (11) while driving in eight runs to lead a UMD offense that scored a pair of runs in the first inning -- its fourth-straight inning plating runs in the doubleheader -- and continued to add from there, claiming victory in the getaway game as well as a series win. Farley (4) and T. Wojciechowski (2) also added longballs in the sixth inning of the series finale; seven Bulldogs had multiple hits in the affair. MSU sophomore right-hander Mitch Bauer (2-1) left after three innings of work as the Mavericks used seven pitchers in the game.

Sophomore left-hander Marcus Frederickson (1-1) was the beneficiary of the offense, tossing 5.2 innings while scattering seven hits and a pair of walks on the afternoon. Minnesota State chased him in the sixth inning with a two-run double off the bat of Lonetti and added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After starting the inning with three-straight singles, they plated runs on a sacrifice fly, wild pitch, and groundball. Wojciechowski completed his three-homer game in the top of the ninth, extending the Bulldogs lead back to six runs; the Mavericks would tack on two more with two outs in the bottom of the inning but could not complete the comeback from there as freshman right-hander Adam Hallberg got a strikeout to end the rally and the day.

Minnesota State 3, UMD 2 (11 innings) - resumption of Monday's second game
After darkness forced Monday night's action to halt after eight innings, UMD and Minnesota State returned to the diamond Tuesday afternoon to finish the final inning of game two of their Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series before playing their scheduled doubleheader. One more inning was not enough as the teams remained scoreless through the ninth and tenth before Mavericks sophomore infielder Dylan Dresel dropped in a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning to knot the series at a game apiece.

After flexing its offensive muscle to take game one on Monday afternoon, UMD scratched across a pair of runs to draw even with the Mavericks through eight innings on Monday night. Diedrich drove in both runs, first on a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning and later on an RBI single bringing home senior second baseman Jimmy Heck, who had walked to lead off the inning and got to third when a throwing error put runners on the corners for Diedrich in the sixth.

Sophomore right-hander Nick Dorfman (0-1) tossed the first two innings after Tuesday's resumption, relieving by junior righty Colton Sinning after a throwing error put a man on third base leading off the inning. After a pair of intentional walks, Dresel lifted his game-winning single to right, handing Dorfman the tough-luck loss. Dakota Belter (2-0) picked up the victory for Minnesota State, continuing where he left off Monday with four total innings of relief work.

UP NEXT
UMD will continue on the road this weekend as the Bulldogs travel to Winona State University this Saturday and Sunday afternoon for a four-game NSIC series. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Loughrey Field in Winona.