The University of Minnesota Duluth 2017 baseball season is underway, as the Bulldogs traveled to Pittsburg, Kan. for a Saturday doubleheader with Pittsburg State University. UMD dropped the initial matchup 9-4 before returning the favor in the rematch with a 12-11 victory.

Pittsburg State 9, UMD 4

On offense, the Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in the first inning, thanks to sophomore third baseman Tyler Wojciechowski's two-run double. Junior catcher Tyler Midas, in his first game with UMD, capped off a 2-for-4 night with a solo home run in the eighth inning to cut the Pittsburg State lead down to 6-4. Senior captain Grant Farley picked up a home run of his own, blasting a shot over the left field wall off of PSU's Cody Whiting in the fifth inning.

Senior left-handed pitcher Kevin Stocke got the start in the opening game for UMD, tossing four innings while giving up five runs and picking up three strikeouts. After allowing just one run in the opening two frames, the Pittsburg State offense found success in the third, picking up three runs on three hits while leaving two on base. The Gorillas tacked on another run in the fourth inning, resulting in junior Nick Dorfman taking over responsibilities on the mound. Dorfman coasted through three innings, allowing just one run on two hits. Sophomore Jeremy Thorson was called to action in the eighth inning, allowing three runs on two hits and a walk.

The Pittsburg State pitching staff combined for 11 strikeouts, including seven from Whiting in five innings of work. Offensively, junior second baseman Dallas Reed notched four hits in as many at bats while scoring three runs.

UMD 12, Pittsburg State 11

Following the loss to kick off the day, the UMD bats responded by putting up 12 runs on 13 hits in game two. Midas racked up four hits on five tries while knocking home two runs on his second home run of the day. Senior left fielder Matt Vogt picked up three hits of his own on a 3-for-4 night with a team-leading four RBIs.

The Bulldogs wasted little time getting on the board, scoring five quick runs and forcing the Pittsburg State coaching staff to make a pitching change before starter Nick Brown could record an out. UMD used three hits (Midas, Wojciechowski, and Vogt) along with five walks to jump out to the early advantage.

The Gorillas responded by tallying runs in each of the next three innings, including a six-run second inning, to pull ahead 10-5. The UMD pitching staff answered with near-shutout baseball the remainder of the evening, with Evan Vick, Jaylen Hakes, Marcus Frederickson, and Colton Sinning combining to throw 5.1 innings with just one run allowed. In addition, the four pitchers recorded 10 strikeouts over the remainder of the game.

After chipping away to bring the score to 11-7 entering the sixth inning, the Bulldogs sparked a four-run inning to bring the game deadlocked. Aside from Midas launching a two-run shot to left field, junior Colin Baumgard and Vogt added RBI knocks in the game-tying rally.

Both teams pitched a scoreless seventh inning, forcing free baseball at Al Ortolani Field. With two outs and nobody on base, freshman Drew Stewart launched the game-winning home run, joining a select group of individuals by homering in his first collegiate at bat. Sinning would pitch a scoreless frame in the bottom half of the inning, securing the first victory of 2017 for UMD.

The Bulldogs will conclude a four-game series with Pittsburg State tomorrow afternoon with a pair of games beginning at 1 p.m.