Schwabe’s Walk-off Lifts NDSU To Sweep

The Bison completed a four-game sweep of Western Illinois on Sunday afternoon

FARGO, ND – An RBI single in the bottom of the 14th by Calen Schwabe sent the North Dakota State baseball team to a 6-5 win over Western Illinois Sunday afternoon at Newman Outdoor Field. The victory completed a series sweep over the Leathernecks, as the Bison won their fifth-straight game.

NDSU improved to 22-8 overall and 11-5 in the Summit League, while Western Illinois dropped to 9-20 overall and 5-11 in league play. This marks the fourth time in program history that NDSU has been at least 22-8 through 30 games, joining the 2012 (23-7), 1998 (22-8) and 1996 (23-7) teams. The Bison will host Oral Roberts next weekend in Fargo, with a doubleheader scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday, April 16 to start the four-game series. NDSU and Oral Roberts will enter the series as the top two teams in the Summit League standings.

Zach Solano had a pair of hits to lead the Bison, while he also scored two runs. Will Busch drove in two runs. Max Loven had a no-decision in the start, allowing five runs on eight hits in five innings, while striking out five. The Bison bullpen tossed nine shutout innings, as Jake Drew, Tristen Roehrich, Parker Harm, Wyatt Nelson and Gabe Pilla combined for eight strikeouts. NDSU allowed just five hits and one walk in the final nine innings. Pilla picked up the victory in the final three innings, as he moved to 2-1 with three strikeouts.

Western Illinois scored four runs on five hits in the fourth inning. The Bison responded in the bottom of the inning, with a double down the left field line by Busch that plated Tucker Rohde and Bennett Hostetler. Jack Simonsen reached on a throwing error that allowed Busch to score, cutting the lead to 4-3. The Leathernecks scored again in the fifth, extending the lead to 5-3. Hostetler reached on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fifth, allowing Jake Malec to score. In the bottom of the ninth, Solano doubled to start the ninth inning and scored on a pinch hit single by Charley Hesse. Solano started the bottom of the 14th with a single to left field. With one out, Simonsen reached on a fielder’s choice, as Solano beat the throw to second base. Three pitches later, Schwabe dropped one into shallow right field, as Solano beat the throw at the plate for the winning run.

Courtesy: NDSU Athletics