Wayne State uses strong pitching to sweep Cougars
WAYNE, Neb. (USF) – The University of Sioux Falls baseball team dropped both ends of Wednesday’s NSIC road doubleheader at Wayne State, falling 7-4 in game one before a 5-1 setback in game two at Pete Chapman Complex. The opener turned on one big inning, as the Cougars built a 4-0 lead through four frames before Wayne State answered with a six-run fifth to swing the game.
In the nightcap, Sioux Falls was locked in another tight, low-scoring battle, but the Wildcats used a two-run third and continued to add on while holding the Cougar offense to just two hits. Brady Schafer’s early two-run homer highlighted game one, while Justin Johnson accounted for USF’s lone run in game two with an RBI double. Despite the sweep, the Cougars got solid starting efforts from Owen Weadge and Carter Sehr , with both keeping Sioux Falls within striking distance through the early innings.
USF also continued to get on base, drawing 10 walks and producing eight hits over the doubleheader, but timely offense proved hard to come by late as Wayne State’s bullpen and defense closed the door. Final Score(s): Game one: Wayne State 7, Sioux Falls 4 Game two: Wayne State 5, Sioux Falls 1 Game One – How It Happened Sioux Falls broke through first in the second inning of the opener. Drew Miller opened the frame with a single before Brady Schafer sent a two-run homer down the right-field line to give the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
USF added another in the third when William Edwards and Mitch Iliff were both hit by pitches, Miller worked a walk, and Justin Johnson rolled an RBI groundout to short. The Cougars stretched the lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Cullen Verville singled to open the inning, Nolan Drossel followed with a bunt single, and after Dominic Vogel fouled out trying to move the runners, Edwards drew a walk to load the bases.
Iliff then worked a four-pitch walk to force in a run. Wayne State got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer, but Weadge limited the damage there and carried the lead into the fifth. That inning, however, changed the game.
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