Bison Baseball Sweeps Series with Fort Wayne

NDSU has won 6 of last 8 games.

FARGO, N.D. (NDSU Athletics) – The North Dakota State University baseball team completed a three-game series sweep of Fort Wayne with a 12-2 win in seven innings over the Mastodons on Sunday, April 16, at Newman Outdoor Field.

With the victory, the Bison improve to 17-18 overall and 9-6 in Summit League play, while the Mastodons fall to 6-27 on the season and 1-14 in league action.

Senior Ben Petersen led North Dakota State at the plate, matching his season-high with three hits to go along with a double, homer, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Fellow senior JT Core added a trio hits and belted a pair of doubles, while junior Drew Fearing went 2-for-3 in the batter’s box and tallied two runs scored, two RBIs, and two walks.

The Bison compiled a season-high 17 hits in the contest.

Sophomore right-hander Jordan Harms (2-5) earned the win on the mound for NDSU after allowing two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.

After the Mastodons scored a run in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, the Bison responded with three runs in the bottom-half of the frame to gain a 3-1 advantage. Matt Elsenpeter hit a one-out RBI double to left field to drive in Core, before Fearing belted a two-run single to right field, plating Alec Abercrombie and Elsenpeter.

North Dakota State added a run in the third when Petersen hit a solo shot to right center. It was his team-high seventh home run of the season.

NDSU tacked on a run in the fifth after Core scored Petersen on a double to right center, and added two more in the sixth when Petersen smacked a double to right center to score Fearing and Core hit a sacrifice fly to plate Mason Pierzchalski, pushing the lead to 7-2.

The Bison exploded for five runs in the seventh to end the game. Danny Palmiscno crossed home plate on a wild pitch to open the scoring in the frame, before Pierzchalski hit an infield single to knock in Abercrombie, and Logan Busch belted a two-run single to right field, scoring Pierzchalski and Fearing. Pinch-hitter Tucker Rohde tallied the final run of the game for North Dakota State after he plated Petersen on a single to right field.

Outfielder Jake Weber went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and run scored to lead Fort Wayne.

Mastodon starting pitcher Cameron Boyd (0-5) took the loss on the mound after giving up three earned runs on six hits with three walks and no strikeouts in two innings.

North Dakota State is scheduled to host Dakota Wesleyan in a non-league game Tuesday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Newman Outdoor Field.