North Dakota State baseball lost 3-1 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the U.S. Bank Stadium.
NDSU scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning after Mason Pierzchalski connected for a single up the middle, bringing in Matt Elsenpeter to score.
The Gophers tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth after Terrin Vavra took a bases-loaded walk, bringing in Eduardo Estrada.
The Gophers took a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the sixth when Jordan Kozicky came in after a wild pitch from Ferderer. Minnesota extended its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh when Cole McDevitt scored on a double play.
Pierzchalski led the Bison at the plate, going 1-for-4 an RBI.
Kyle Ferderer suffered the loss on the mound for the Bison, allowing one earned run on one hit in two-thirds of an inning.
Vavra led the Gophers at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Sam Thoresen earned the victory on the mound for the Gophers after throwing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and two walks.
NDSU and the University of Northern Colorado Bears opened a four-game series Friday, March 2. The Bears defeated the Bison 17-4 after seven innings.
Northern Colorado opened up the bottom of the first inning by putting up a five-spot, with two unearned.
Austin Miller scored the first run, stealing home after a throwing error. Catcher Sean Noel tried to throw out Jake Pauley from stealing second, who would then advance to third on the errant throw.
Pauley would later score after an RBI double from Baxter Halligan to left-center, advancing Brett Minnick to third.
Tyler Yamaguchi walked on a wild pitch, bringing in Minnick and advancing Halligan to third.
Alex Kiel tripled down the right-field line, bringing in Yamaguchi and Halligan.
The Bison got on the scoreboard in the top of the third on an RBI single up the middle from Pierzchalski, allowing Elsenpeter to cross home plate.
The Bears got back to scoring in their half of the third, putting up seven runs on the Bison.
Yamaguchi brought in his second run of the game on a single up the middle, advancing Halligan to third and scoring on an error by center fielder Alec Abercrombie.
Kiel would double to center, scoring Yamaguchi.
Cole Maltese hit a bases-loaded two-RBI single to right-center, scoring Miller and Dean Lawson and moving Miller to third.
Evan Johnson tripled to right-center, scoring Maltese and Miller.
Minnick singled down the right-field line to score Johnson to take a 12-1 lead.
The Bears would add three more in the fourth before the Bison and Bears exchanged one run each in their halves of the fifth inning.
Northern Colorado would add one more in the sixth. NDSU responded by putting up two in the top of the seventh.
The Bears outhit the Bison, 17-8.
Pierzchalski led the Bison at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double. Elsenpeter added two hits in three at bats with a double and two runs scored.
Riley Johnson suffered the loss on the mound for NDSU, giving up 12 runs, eight earned, on 11 hits with three walks and one strikeout in 2.1 innings.
Miller went 3-for-3 with three runs scored to lead Northern Colorado at the plate. Maltese had a game-high four RBIs.
Isaac Bracken earned the victory on the mound for the Bears, giving up two runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in five innings pitched.