In the midst of an eight-game homestand, the University of Minnesota Duluth squared off with Wayne State (Neb.) College at Bulldog Park on Saturday afternoon, with each team finding itself on top on one game. Wayne State held down UMD for a 3-2 game one victory before the Bulldogs responded with a 7-2 win of their own in the rematch.
WSC 3, UMD 2
Runs were hard to come by in the opener, as just two players notched an RBI. UMD picked up its only runs of the game in the third inning where freshman outfielder
Drew Stewart drove in a pair on a double to right center field, jumping to a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcat bats were quiet until the sixth inning, when junior infielder Tanner Simons launching a three-run home run to left field to put the visitors on top for good.
Junior pitcher
Nick Dorfman posted a strong showing on the mound for the Bulldogs, tossing all seven innings with just the homer as a miscue. Dorfman also struck out seven batters while walking just one.
UMD found just four hits -- two from junior outfielder
Brett Milazzo and one apiece from senior shortstop
Brian Pierce and Stewart.
UMD 7, WSC 2
Wayne State carried the momentum from its game one win to tack on a pair of early runs in the rematch, as a solo home run and a sacrifice fly quickly put the Wildcats up by two in the second inning.
Senior southpaw
Kevin Stocke was phenomenal from there, finishing the game with eight innings pitched, one earned run, and seven strikeouts. Stocke allowed just five runners to reach base all afternoon, including only three in his final six innings of work.
The Bulldogs scored their first run of the game in the third inning when senior outfielder
Grant Farley drove home Pierce on a sacrifice fly, bringing the score to 2-1. UMD would remain behind until a four-run fifth inning vaulted the Bulldogs to a 5-2 lead. Sophomore
Ben Danielson and senior
Kyle Hoffman each notched an RBI single, while UMD added two more runs of a dropped fly ball off the bat of sophomore
Eric Yachinich.
Farley knocked a towering home run to left field in the eighth inning to bring the Bulldog lead to 7-2, before freshman pitcher
Evan Vick shut the door in the ninth to capture the victory.
Hoffman posted a career-high four hits in five at bats while scoring a run and picking up an RBI. The senior's four-hit day also ties a Bulldog season-high for hits in a game.
Pierce finished with two hits to bring his total to three on the afternoon, while Danielson also went 2-for-4 in game two.
UP NEXT
UMD will be back in action on Tuesday as they play host to St. Cloud State University at Wade Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m.