Box Score (PDF)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The North Dakota State University baseball team defeated the Fort Wayne Mastodons, 5-0, in five innings in the regular season finale on Saturday, May 20, at Mastodon Field. The game was called after the fifth inning due to heavy precipitation.

With the victory, the Bison finish the regular season and 29-23 overall and a program-best 19-11 in Summit League play, and win their first series at Fort Wayne since 2012.

North Dakota State will be the No. 2 seed in The Summit League Baseball Championship and will play No. 3 seed South Dakota State Wednesday, May 24, at noon at Oral Roberts' J.L. Johnson Stadium in Tulsa, Okla.

Eight different Bison tallied a hit in the game, including doubles from freshman shortstop Bennett Hostetler, junior infielder Matt Elsenpeter and sophomore outfielder Alec Abercrombie. Senior outfielder Ben Petersen, senior catcher Danny Palmiscno and Abercrombie each drove in a run, while junior Drew Fearing stole his team-high ninth base of the season.

NDSU reliever Riley Johnson (1-1) earned the victory on the mound after giving up no earned runs on two hits with three strikeouts in two innings.

North Dakota State jumped out to an early lead after scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. Petersen hit an RBI single to center, scoring Fearing, before Mason Pierzchalski crossed home plate on a Fort Wayne error.

NDSU plated one run in the second when Elsenpeter hit a double to right field, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Mastodon wild pitch, and another in the third after Palmiscno was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing Logan Busch home.

The Bison scored their final run of the contest in the fifth inning after Abercrombie doubled to left field, plating Palmiscno.  

Infielder Brandon Yoho went 2-for-2 to lead the Mastodons (9-42, 4-24 Summit League) in the batter's box, while Fort Wayne starter Jordan Martin (2-8) suffered the loss on the mound after allowing four runs – two earned – on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.