Box Score (PDF)

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The North Dakota State University baseball team suffered a 9-2 loss to the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils in the Snowbird Baseball Classic Saturday, Feb. 24, at North Charlotte Regional Park.

NDSU (3-3) is scheduled to take on CCSU (1-1) in the series finale Sunday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. ET at South County Regional Park in Punta Gorda, Fla.

Sophomore infielder Tucker Rohde went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in a run to lead the Bison offensively. Redshirt junior Jayse McLean also tallied two hits in the game, while senior Drew Fearing hit his first double of the season.

Redshirt sophomore left-hander Mitch O'Connor (0-1) took the loss on the mound for NDSU after surrendering four earned runs on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout in three innings pitched.

North Dakota State took a 1-0 lead after Bennett Hostetler scored on an error in the top of the first inning, but Central Connecticut State plated four runs in the bottom-half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead.

The Blue Devils added five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to increase their lead to 9-1, before NDSU plated its second and final run of the game in the top of the eighth.

Buddy Dewaine collected two hits, including a three-run homer, and drove in four runs to pace CCSU at the plate.

Right-hander Mike Appel (1-0) earned the victory after tossing six innings and allowing one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks.