FARGO, N.D. –
Trent Keefer tossed his second complete game of the season to help the North Dakota State University baseball team (19-29, 10-19 Summit League) defeat the Omaha Mavericks (19-29, 12-17 Summit League), 8-1, in game two of a Summit League doubleheader on Friday, May 15, at Newman Outdoor Field. The Bison fell to the Mavs in game one, 3-2, in 10 innings.
NDSU is scheduled to host UNO at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 16, for the final game of the 2015 regular season and Senior Day. The game was originally slated for 1 p.m., but was moved up two hours due to forecasted inclement weather in Fargo.
A berth in The Summit League baseball tournament will be on the line Saturday for NDSU. If the Bison defeat Omaha and Oral Roberts beats Western Illinois in Tulsa, Okla., NDSU will earn the fourth and final spot in the league tournament.
Keefer, a 6-foot-3 senior from Mesa, Ariz., scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run while striking out three and walking only one on 130 total pitches to improve to 4-6 overall on the mound.
Freshman
Mason Pierzchalski led the Bison at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a three RBI triple. It was the first triple of his collegiate career.
Danny Regan,
Taylor Sanders and
Danny Palmiscno also collected a pair of hits and each batted in a run, and
Paul Funk added a RBI.
The Bison took a 1-0 lead in bottom of the third inning of game two on a Regan infield single to second base and extended the lead to 2-0 with a run in the sixth on an Omaha throwing error.
The Mavericks cut the NDSU lead to 2-1 with a run in the top of the seventh, but the Bison responded with six runs in the bottom of the eighth to balloon their advantage to 8-1.
Brayden Resch led-off the frame with a walk, before advancing to third on
Ben Petersen's double down the left field line. Sanders drove in Resch and advanced Petersen to third on a RBI single through the left side, before
John Skrbec worked a walk to load the bases. Funk gave North Dakota State its second run of the inning after he drew a bases loaded walk, allowing Petersen to score. Pierzchalski then stepped up to the plate and drilled a triple to deep left center field, clearing the bases, giving the Bison three more runs. Palmiscno added the final run of the frame for NDSU on a bunt single to first base that plated Pierzchalski.
Adam Caniglia went 1-for-3 with a RBI to lead Omaha in the batter's box, while starting pitcher Zach Williamsen took the loss on the mound after surrendering four earned runs on eight hits to fall to 7-7 overall.
In game one, with the Bison trailing Omaha, 2-1, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Resch hit a game-tying RBI single to force extra innings.
The Mavs responded in the 10th-inning though, scoring what proved to be the game-winning run on a two out RBI single to right field.
Ben Petersen and Resch each tallied two hits and a RBI to lead the Bison offensively, while Regan, Skrbec and
Juan Gamez also each collected a pair of hits in the contest.
NDSU right-handed reliever
Brian VanderWoude suffered the loss on the mound after allowing one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts and three walks to fall to 4-2 on the season. Bison starting pitcher
Sean Terres threw a season-high six innings and allowed no earned runs on six hits while fanning four and walking two before exiting the game at the start of the seventh-inning.
The Bison broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth-inning after Petersen singled up the middle to drive in Resch.
The Mavs answered, though, taking a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly ball and RBI ground out.
Omaha held the lead until the bottom of the ninth when the Bison tied the contest, 2-2. Regan started the two-out NDSU rally with a single to right field, before moving to second on a balk. With a 2-2 count, Resch hit a single down the right field line to score Regan.
Cole Gruber paced the Mavs at the plate in game one, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI, while relief pitcher Shane Meltz picked up the win on the mound to improve to 3-3 on the season.
