The University of Minnesota Duluth will survive to play another day at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Postseason Tournament in St. Cloud. The Bulldogs survived an elimination game Friday night, defeating seventh seed Northern State University 7-5 after falling to Concordia University, St. Paul by a 10-1 final earlier in the afternoon at Joe Faber Field.

No. 20 UMD (38-13) will now need to defeat Augustana (S.D.) University tomorrow afternoon as well as the loser of Saturday's Concordia vs. St. Cloud State University semifinal tomorrow evening if they hope to advance to Sunday's championship game. After being held to just one run in their second round game earlier in the day, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead with three first-inning runs against Northern State (22-24). Junior outfielder Grant Farley got the scoring started with a solo home run (14) the first of three straight hits by UMD. Senior first baseman Alex Wojciechowski doubled and came around to score on a single by senior third baseman Kyle Comer. He, too, would cross the plate when the Wolves muffed a ball off the bat of freshman designated hitter Tyler Wojciechowski on the infield.

After a quick next three innings, senior second baseman Jimmy Heck and T. Wojciechowski hit back-to-back doubles in the fifth to add another run to the Bulldogs' lead. Junior shortstop Brian Pierce reached leading off the seventh on another NSU fielding error and stole second ahead of a run-scoring double by Farley. Comer followed that up with his 12th home run of the season, putting UMD up 7-0. Northern State finally got to senior left-hander Spencer Diedrich in the bottom of the seventh, chasing the southpaw after 6.1 innings pitched. The Wolves scored five runs on four hits in the inning, but just two earned after the Bulldogs kicked a ball on the infield, adding a passed ball and wild pitch later in the frame. Senior right-hander Wes Mleziva came in to get UMD out of the inning with a strikeout.

The Bulldogs went down quietly in the eighth before Mleziva made it three straight strikeouts and tapper down the first base line to set Northern State down in order and head to the ninth with a 7-5 advantage. Northern State used five pitchers to get through nine innings, with starter Chris Vandever ( ) taking the defeat after working into the third, tossing 2+ innings while surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. Mleziva came on to finish out the ninth and pick up the seventh save of his season while totalling four strikeouts without allowing a baserunner. Diedrich (5-0) picked up the victory for UMD while allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and striking out two in his night.

Four Bulldogs had multiple hits in the nightcap, led by Farley and Comer who each had a home run. Junior catcher Marco Lucarelli and freshman outfielder Cory Krolikowski also added a pair of hits.

Concordia-St. Paul 10, UMD 1
UMD will take the long road if it hopes to claim the NSIC Tournament Title after falling 10-1 to Concordia-St. Paul in round two at Faber Field in St. Cloud on Friday afternoon.

Senior right-hander Austin Vaske (6-2) worked the first 5.0 innings for the Bulldogs, surrendering seven runs on eight hits including a third-inning grand slam by sophomore catcher Connor Olson. Top-seed UMD scratched across a first-inning run with a sacrifice fly off the bat of Comer in the first inning, scoring Farley for the team's lone run of the afternoon. Concordia-St. Paul (29-13) got a complete game from freshman righty Gus Varland, who struck out just three Bulldogs while allowing only five hits on his day.

Olson finished 4-for-5 with two doubles and the home run on his day. UMD got a double from each of Farley and Diedrich, who started in the outfield during game one, and singles from A. Wojciechowski, junior pinch-hitter Matt Vogt, and sophomore outfielder Brett Milazzo on the afternoon. Sophomore left-hander Tommy Hanson tossed a hitless frame out of the bullpen for the Bulldogs, striking out two in the sixth. Freshman righty Jeremy Thorson surrendered a pair of earned runs while striking out one in 2.0 innings of work.

UMD was held to just one run for the first time this season, scoring at least three runs in every previous game but one: a 3-2 extra inning defeat against Minnesota State University Mankato on March 28.

ON DECK
The Bulldogs will face Augustana for the first time this season when the two teams meet in another elimination game tomorrow afternoon. The winner of that game will play once again tomorrow night against the semifinal loser from the other side of the bracket at 7:00 p.m. with a shot at the tournament title game on the line. First pitch for UMD and Augie is set for 3:30 p.m. at Faber Field in St. Cloud.