FORT MYERS, Fla. – The North Dakota State baseball team scored its most runs in a single-game since 2024 in the 19-18 loss in 11 innings at Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday night at Swanson Stadium.

After the two teams combined for 20 runs through the first four innings and FGCU (2-0) opened up a 12-8 advantage, NDSU (0-2) erupted for nine runs in the eighth inning to steal a 17-12 lead. Bennett Freiter put the Bison in front, 16-12, with his first career grand slam to right field. Dante Smith capped the big frame with an RBI single through the right side to make the score 17-12.

Jaret Nelson answered for FGCU in the bottom half of eighth inning with his own grand slam to left field to cut the edge down to 17-16. Evan Gustafson responded for NDSU with a solo home run to push the lead to 18-16 in the ninth. Javier Gorostola then used a two-run double into left center in the ninth to lock the contest, 18-18. The two teams worked through a scoreless 10th inning before Cole Lasher connected on a walk-off RBI single into left center to secure the 19-18 victory.

The Bison totaled 18 runs as a team with eight different players scoring at least two. It marked the most runs NDSU has scored in a single-game since posting 21 in the win over Iowa on May 1, 2024. Blake Timmons led the way with a team-high three runs.

The Bison also tallied 11 hits as a team with Freiter, Gustafson and Caleb Corbin each delivering one home run. Kyle Law led the way going 2-of-5 at the plate with four RBI and two runs.

NDSU used six total pitchers with Brayden Marks making his first start as a Bison tossing two strikeouts over 2.0 frames. Matt Sargeant closed out the final 1.1 innings with a team-best three strikeouts.

The contest, which lasted four hours and 35 minutes, was the longest extra inning game for the Bison since NDSU topped Omaha, 7-6, in 12 innings on May 25, 2023.

NDSU will wrap up its series with FGCU tomorrow. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. CT