FARGO, N.D. – Bison right-handed pitcher David Ernst threw a complete game to help the North Dakota State University baseball team (16-26, 8-16 Summit League) claim a 2-1 victory over the Fort Wayne Mastodons (25-19, 12-12 Summit League) in front of 157 spectators at Newman Outdoor Field on Sunday, May 3.

The win completed a three-game series sweep against the Mastodons and ran NDSU's winning streak to six games, the longest streak since 2013.

Ernst, a 6-foot-3 senior from Fargo, went the distance for the second time this season, allowing just three hits while striking out a season-high six batters and walking only two on 113 pitches in nine innings to improve to 2-9 overall.

Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the eighth inning, the Bison were able to score two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Paul Funk led-off the frame with a single up the middle and moved to second on Danny Regan's sacrifice bunt, before Drew Fearing drew a walk, bringing Ben Petersen to the plate, who laced a single to left field that allowed Funk to move to third. Taylor Sanders pinch-hit and reached on a fielder's choice the next at bat, but Funk was thrown out at the plate to keep IPFW in front. With two outs and the bases loaded, Brayden Resch was hit by a pitch, allowing Fearing, who had advanced to third on Sanders' fielder's choice, to cross home plate and score, knotting the game, 1-1. John Skrbec struck out swinging the next at bat, but was able to reach first on a wild pitch, while Petersen sprinted home from third to give the Bison the 2-1 edge.

Ernst finished off the game by tossing a 1-2-3 ninth inning with a strikeout, fly out and ground out, to seal the Bison win.

Funk and Petersen each tallied two hits in the contest to lead the Bison at the plate.

Fort Wayne scored its only run of the game on a RBI ground out from Kendall Whitman in the top of the first inning.

Brandon Soat, Whitman and Greg Kaiser each had a hit to pace the Mastodon offense, while Fort Wayne starting pitcher Evan Miller took the loss on the mound after surrendering two earned runs on six hits to drop to 5-3 on the season.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Big Ten foe Minnesota on Tuesday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Newman Outdoor Field.