PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – The North Dakota State baseball team (1-8) fell to the Villanova Wildcats (3-6), 6-4, on Sunday, March 1, in the Snowbird Baseball Classic at South County Regional Park in Punta Gorda.

Mason Pierzchalski led the Bison at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI and two walks. Ben Petersen added a pair of hits, including a double, while Taylor Sanders and John Skrbec each drove in a run for NDSU.

NDSU right-hander Trevor Jaunich (0-2) took the loss on the mound for North Dakota State after surrendering four earned runs on four hits in 2.1 innings pitched.

The Bison took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Pierzchalski drove in Drew Fearing with a RBI single to left field. The Wildcats responded in the bottom-half of the inning, though, scoring a pair of runs to gain a 2-1 lead.

NDSU tied the game at two in the top of the third when Paul Funk crossed home plate on a Villanova fielding error.

The contest remained deadlocked at two until the Wildcats plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead, 5-2.

Villanova added another run in the bottom of the sixth to increase its advantage to 6-2.

NDSU got a run back in the top of the seventh, cutting the deficit to 6-3 after Fearing crossed the plate on Sanders' RBI single to centerfield.  

The Bison trimmed the Wildcat lead to 6-4 in the top of the ninth after John Skrbec's sacrifice fly scored Sanders. NDSU had the tying run at first and the go-ahead run at the plate with two outs after Jon Hechtner singled up the middle, but a ground out ended the Bison threat and locked up the win for Villanova.

Max Beerman led the Villanova offense, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles.

Ryan Doty (1-2) was the winning pitcher for Villanova after allowing no earned runs on six hits while striking out two and walking three in five innings of work.

North Dakota State opens a four-game series on Friday, March 6, at Northern Colorado in Greeley. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. MT (4 p.m. CT).