MINOT, N.D. – The Beavers enjoyed a memorable home debut.
After 30 games away from Corbett Field to start the season, Minot State's baseball team final played its home opener on Saturday, hosting Northern State in an NSIC doubleheader that the Beavers swept, 5-4 and 18-8 in seven innings.
Along the way, the Beavers (21-11 overall, 12-8 NSIC) hit seven home runs on the day, giving them 63 on the season which is a new single-season program record.
The long-ball bashing Beavers are back in action Sunday hosting a single game at noon against Northern State to wrap up their weekend series.
GAME 1 | Minot State 5, Northern State 4
MINOT, N.D. -- It was a tough day for Northern State pitchers as the Minot State Beavers plated five runs en route to a 5-4 win over the Wolves on Saturday.
Sophomore Jonah Prokott (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Minot State. The right-hander went two innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on three hits, allowing no walks and striking out one.
Junior Javier Gutierrez led the way offensively for the Beavers, going 1-for-3 in the ballgame with a home run and an RBI. Junior Gunnar Kozlowitz furnished a noteworthy day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior Martin Rodriquez also contributed, going 1-for-2 for Minot State with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. Minot State plated two runs when Gutierrez left the yard with Kozlowitz aboard.
The Beavers then held the Wolves scoreless before getting back on the board the very next inning. Minot State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Kozlowitz, which brought the score to 3-0 in favor of the Beavers.
Minot State's lead had evaporated once the sixth inning arrived and turned into a 4-3 Northern State advantage, when the Beavers re-took control at 5-4. Rodriquez's run-scoring single highlighted a two-run output in the frame for the Beavers. The score remained 5-4 for the rest of the game, as Minot State held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Minot State went 2-for-5 (.400) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 32 Northern State hitters in the game, allowing five ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out five.
» Gutierrez led the Beavers at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
» Northern State was led offensively by junior Jackson Meyer, who went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
GAME 2 | Minot State 18, Northern State 8, 7 innings
MINOT, N.D. -- Senior Derek Kay put together a stellar showing at the plate Saturday, hitting two homers to help propel the Minot State Beavers over the Northern State Wolves 18-8 in seven innings.
Senior Garrett Nicholson (3-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Minot State. The southpaw went three innings, giving up one run without giving up a hit, allowing three walks and striking out one.
Kay went 3-for-5 at the plate, supplementing his two home runs with a triple while driving in six runs. Sophomore Dalin Ludlow added to Kay's awesome power-hitting performance by going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Junior Martin Rodriquez also helped out for the Beavers, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk and three RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers were trailing 4-0 in the first inning when they first put runs on the board. Kay came across to score the lone run of the inning for Minot State and get them on the board.
The Wolves expanded their lead to 7-1 before the Beavers offense got back to work, taking the lead in the fourth. Minot State hit four home runs in the inning on the way to pushing seven runs across, which brought the score to 8-7 in favor of the Beavers.
Matt Malone's solo home run, the back half of back-to-back home runs, gave Minot State 61 home runs on the season, a new single-season school record.
Minot State held Northern State without a run before building their lead to 11-7 the following inning. The Beavers scored three runs, all of them coming on a three-run homer from Ludlow that scored Rodriquez and junior Shane Kary.
The Wolves gained ground, closing the gap to 11-8 until Minot State added some insurance in the seventh. The Beavers scored seven runs in the inning, highlighted by a three-run home run off the bat of Kay, bringing the Minot State advantage to 18-8 and ending the game by the 10-run mercy rule.
GAME NOTES
» The Beavers got two home runs off the bat of Kay.
» Minot State got three-hit games from both Kay and junior Gunnar Kozlowitz.
» Senior Bryant Bagshaw struck out five Wolves hitters.
» The Beavers had both Kay and Kozlowitz crush multiple extra-base hits in the ballgame.
» Kay and Ludlow drove in at least four runs for Minot State.
» Every Minot State starter reached base safely in the win.
» Minot State's highest-scoring innings were the fourth and seventh, when it pushed seven runs across in each.
» Seven Beavers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» Minot State hitters hit six home runs in the ballgame.
» The Beavers had a total of 17 hits.
» The Beavers out-hit the Wolves at a 17-10 clip.
» Minot State went 6-for-13 (.462) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 35 Northern State hitters in the game, allowing eight ground balls and six fly balls while striking out six.
» The Beavers drew six walks from Northern State pitching.
» Kay led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a triple, two home runs and six RBI.
» Northern State was led offensively by junior Karson Hesser, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.
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