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Beavers split twin-bill against Marauders

MSU drops game one 3-2, wins game two 12-2

Ryan Ladika/MDN Ryley Humrighouse (1) was a force for Minot State's offense Wednesday, as the infielder recorded five total hits and drove in four runs between the two games.

The Minot State Beavers returned to Corbett Field Wednesday afternoon following a three-game road trip through South Dakota, splitting a doubleheader against the University of Mary. Minot State lost the first game in a narrow 3-2 defeat, but bounced back to win the nightcap in blowout fashion 12-2.

Before the beginning of the homestand, the Beavers had wrapped up a fairly productive road trip, taking two out of three against Northern State University April 17-18. Minot State swept the Saturday doubleheader from the Wolves, outscoring its opponent 19-7 on the day.

Seth Brewer toed the rubber for Northern State Sunday afternoon and snapped the Beavers’ brief win streak almost singlehandedly, no-hitting Minot State in a seven-inning 10-0 Wolves victory. The contest marked the second time this season the Beavers had been no-hit, dating back to Tanner Brown’s March 27 perfect game for Augustana University.

Zach Newman got the nod from Minot State skipper Scott Eul in Wednesday’s opener, making his first start since an April 14 appearance that saw the southpaw surrender six total runs on seven hits in just 2.2 innings of work.

He was effective in his Wednesday start, utilizing a pair of strikeouts to work around a two-out triple in the top of the first inning. Marauders right-hander Jonathan Draheim did one better in the home half, striking out Kaiden Cardoso en route to a perfect inning.

The Marauders snatched the early momentum first, cracking the scoreboard on a long solo home run to left field off Riley Schlimm’s bat with one out in the second frame. Declan Buckle got the run right back for the Beavers in the third inning with an RBI groundout, plating Matt Malone who had led off the frame with a single.

Newman, meanwhile, shook off the early blast rather quickly, setting down eight of the next 10 hitters before he was bit by another long ball with one out in the fifth that gave Mary a 2-1 lead. The lefty could not bounce back from the second Mary home run of the day, as he allowed a double to the Marauders’ Braeton Wixo and plunked leadoff man Tyrus Barclay quick succession.

Eul turned to Cameron Bagshaw out of the bullpen, who escaped the threat by inducing a groundout from Derek Shoen and whiffing Ty Jones.

Minot State again responded the next half inning, when Drew Behling smacked a leadoff double and Kellen Peat later singled him home with a clutch, one-out knock with runners on first and third.

The Beavers could muster little else at the dish in the opener, and the Marauders scored the game-winning tally in the top of the seventh inning via a run-scoring double from Calvin James off Minot State reliever Aaron Kern.

In hopes of leading his squad to revenge in the doubleheader’s second contest, Minot State right-hander Carson Tonini jogged onto the field shortly after the final out of game one was recorded. The Minot native had made three previous appearances this season that culminated in seven total runs allowed in 7.1 innings. The most glaring issue for Tonini this season has been his command; the righty had issued 10 walks against just four strikeouts entering his Wednesday start.

Tonini ran into some issues right away, allowing back-to-back singles after forcing a pair of flyouts to begin the evening’s affairs, but he wiggled his way out of the jam thanks to a Schlimm groundout.

The Beavers went quietly in the top of the first inning, fanning twice against Shoen, who received the starting assignment after playing the field in the first game.

Some timely two-out offense got Minot State on the scoreboard first in the second inning. After Behling flew out and Humrighouse struck out to begin the frame, Cardoso hit the first of three consecutive singles, the last of which came off Dillon Buckmeier’s bat to bring Cardoso home.

Minot State would be limited to the single run in the inning, but its offense was just warming up. The Beavers failed to score in the third and fourth innings, but broke out in the fifth and sixth, to the tune of 10 total runs in the two innings alone.

The home nine sent 10 men to the plate in both frames, and the offensive fireworks were highlighted by RBI singles from Peat, Humrighouse, Malone and Monthei. Humrighouse plated three with a pair of knocks between the two innings and hit the first of three two-run singles in the sixth inning. By the time the Marauders struck out Peat for the sixth frame’s final out, they were staring up at an 11-2 deficit.

On the mound for Minot State, Tonini was able to work 2.2 frames in the eventual blowout victory. He faced only one over the minimum in the second inning but allowed a pair of RBI knocks in the third, chasing him from the contest. Tyler Luban, Garrett Nicholson and Craig Schmich picked up the righty in relief, combining for 4.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

The Beavers scored their 12th run of the game in the seventh on the strength of a Ryley Humrighouse RBI single, his fourth RBI of the game and his fifth hit of the day overall. Following the low-scoring loss in the opener, four Minot State hitters came through with multi-hit efforts, and every starter reached base at least once in the 12-2 win.

Now 15-11 on the season, the Beavers will welcome Southwest Minnesota State to the Magic City for a three-game series, starting with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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