Box Score (PDF)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The North Dakota State baseball team scored a season-high 17 runs on Friday afternoon, as the Bison beat Purdue Fort Wayne 17-8 at Mastodon Field. The second game of the doubleheader was suspended due to darkness, as both teams scored a run in the ninth inning to force extra innings.

With the win, the Bison improved to 6-14, 4-6 Summit, while Purdue Fort Wayne dropped to 5-22, 0-10 Summit. The 17 runs scored were the most in a Summit League game for the Bison since an 18-7 win over Purdue Fort Wayne on April 5, 2015. The series finale is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (Central) on Saturday, April 6, but the suspended game from Friday will be finished first. With the softball field and baseball field being side-by-side in Fort Wayne, the NDSU-Purdue Fort Wayne baseball games will not start until the conclusion of the softball game.

The victory was the 278th for North Dakota State Head Coach Tod Brown, as he moved into fourth in Summit League history in total career victories.

The Bison started the scoring in the first inning of the opener and never trailed in the victory. A two-run double by Charley Hesse to drive in Carter Thompson and Hunter Koep highlighted a four-run first inning. In the third inning, Koep scored on a sacrifice fly by Thompson, while Sean Noel drove in Jack Simonsen with a single to left center, as the Bison pushed the lead to 7-1. 

Purdue Fort Wayne scored two runs in four hits in the third and three runs on two hits and a Bison error in the fifth, as the lead was cut to 7-6. NDSU extended the lead in a big way in the sixth inning, as Jake Malec hit his first home run of the season to right field, driving in Noel in the process. With two outs, Simonsen singled to center field, as Brock Anderson and Bennett Hostetler scored to give NDSU an 11-6 lead. The Mastodons cut the lead back to three runs with a pair of runs on two hits in the sixth, but that would be the final runs of the game for Purdue Fort Wayne.

In the seventh inning, Malec and Noel scored on a single through the right side by Peter Brookshaw, who extended his on-base streak to 14 games. The Bison added three runs in the final two innings on a double play, ground ball and an error.

Simonsen and Hesse led the Bison with three hits apiece, while Anderson and Malec each had a pair. Brookshaw, Simonsen, Hesse and Malec each drove in a pair, while Hostetler, Anderson and Malec each scored three times.

Zach Smith took a no-decision on the mound in 4.1 innings of work. Smith struck out one and walked one, while allowing six runs (four earned) on 10 hits. Parker Harm improved to 3-1 on the year, as he tossed 3.2 innings. Harm struck out three and walked one, while allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. Gabe Pilla threw the final inning.