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Surging MSU baseball takes doubleheader from USF

Sean Arbaut/Minot State athletics Minot State pitcher Mark LaCroix fires a pitch to home plate during an NSIC baseball doubleheader Friday at Corbett Field.

Outside of the Minot State baseball locker room, not many expected the Beavers to compete for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament spot.

Yet, MSU has already doubled its win total from a year ago (10 to 20 wins) with 16 games remaining this season.

The Beavers showed more proof of their resurgence Friday, completing a four-game sweep of Sioux Falls by winning both games of a doubleheader at Corbett Field. MSU took the first game 7-6 and the second 12-6.

“It feels really good,” MSU head coach Scott Eul said. “The guys came out and had a mission to get after them a little bit. It was good for us to get a little separation with (USF) with them right behind us in the standings. We pitched it pretty well and swung it really well all weekend.”

Michael Borst started off the scoring for MSU in Game 1, lacing an RBI single through the middle for an early 1-0 lead. Wyatt Schlosser and Celestino Rodriguez drove in runs later in the inning and Borst scored on a wild pitch to give MSU a 4-0 advantage after one.

The wild pitch offense continued in the bottom of the fifth, as USF pitcher Zak Wallner let one get away, which scored MSU centerfielder Jordan Schulz for a 5-0 Beavers lead.

But the Cougars responded with a six-run sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead over the Beavers, with six different USF players notching an RBI.

MSU responded in the bottom frame as a Sean Alp RBI double tied the score at six each. Justin Demary laced an RBI single with the bases loaded to give MSU a 7-6, but Borst was thrown out at home trying to extend the advantage.

Relief pitcher Aaron Kern pitched a clean seventh inning to seal the victory for the Beavers. Kern earned the win on the mound, pitching one and one third innings while allowing one hit.

In Game 2, USF scored three quick runs in the top of the first. The Beavers responded with six runs in the bottom frame with a three-run home run from Jarrod Adams being the big blow. Borst had a two-RBI double and Demary had an RBI infield single to round out the scoring.

Schulz extended the lead in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 7-3 game and Borst added another run on a sacrifice fly.

Adams drove in another run in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI groundout to give the Beavers a 9-3 lead.

USF added three runs in the top of the sixth, but Borst got two back with a two-RBI triple to make it 11-6 in the bottom frame. MSU scored one last insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory.

Mark LaCroix picked up the win on the mound in his second start of the season, pitching five innings and allowing five runs off seven hits with four strikeouts. Borst finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBIs in the contest.

MSU (20-12, 14-9 NSIC) is back in action with a doubleheader against Bemidji State at noon Wednesday in Bemidji, Minn.

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge.

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