TUCSON, Ariz. – One day after opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) action with a doubleheader sweep, the Minot State University (MSU) baseball team left the diamond disappointed.

The Beavers battled but came up short Sunday, March 9, in another conference twinbill, falling 8-2 and 10-6 to Concordia, St. Paul to split the weekend series played in Arizona at the Kino Sports Complex.

MSU continues its two-plus week trip to Arizona with three non-conference contests against league foes Winona State, Southwest Minnesota State, and Northern State before closing out the road trip with a four-game, NSIC-counting series against Winona State next Saturday and Sunday.

The Beavers (5-4 overall, 2-2 NSIC) play the Warriors in a non-NSIC matchup on Tuesday, then a single non-NSIC contest each against the Mustangs and Wolves on Wednesday.

Concordia, Saint Paul 8, MSU 2

The MSU Beavers got three hits from senior Brent Riddle in an 8-2 loss to the Concordia, Saint Paul Golden Bears on Sunday in an NSIC doubleheader.

Senior Connor Hill (1-2) got the ball to start for Minot State and took the loss. Junior Anthony Disantis was a bright spot for the Beavers, coming out of the bullpen and throwing two shutout innings, allowing two hits, with no walks and one strikeout.

Riddle’s three-hit day led the Beavers offensively. Junior Shane Kary put together a standout performance as well, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Junior Oscar Pegg also contributed for Minot State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a double and an RBI.

Trailing 1-0, the Beavers first put runs on the board in the third inning. MSU got an RBI single from Kary, scoring Riddle from third base.

The Golden Bears then scored seven runs to retake their advantage heading into the fifth inning, when the Beavers responded by getting back on the scoreboard themselves. MSU scored once on an RBI single off the bat of Pegg, which brought the score to 8-2 in favor of the Golden Bears.

Minot State baseball opens league play with sweep of Concordia, St. Paul

Brent Riddle led the way with a pair of hits in each game for the Beavers, as MSU opened NSIC play sweeping a neutral-site doubleheader from Concordia, St. Paul on Saturday, March 8.

Riddle went 4-for-8 on the day with a home run and 4 RBIs to lead the offensive onslaught for Minot State (5-2 overall, 2-0 NSIC), which used a 10-run rally in game one to propel the Beavers to a 17-10 victory.

MSU closed out the twinbill sweep in extra innings, winning 5-4 in the 10th on Seungjun Song’s walk-off RBI walk.

The two teams meet again Sunday at the Kino Sports Complex in Arizona for another NSIC doubleheader.

MSU 17,

Concordia-Saint Paul 10

Junior Shane Kary collected four hits to help propel the MSU Beavers over the Concordia, Saint Paul Golden Bears 17-10 on Saturday.

Junior Colton Bagshaw (1-0) got the win for MSU. The right-hander went four innings, giving up six runs, all of them earned, on eight hits, allowing three walks and striking out one. Sophomore Conner Meldrim also pitched well, going one shutout inning while allowing one hit, walking none and striking out three.

In addition to his four hits, Kary had a double and three RBI to lead the Beavers. Senior Brent Riddle furnished a standout effort as well, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI. Junior Michael Williamson also helped out for Minot State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding two doubles and three RBI.

The Beavers got the scoring started early, putting one run on the board in the bottom the first inning with the game still scoreless. Riddle put Minot State on the board with a two-out solo home run off senior Fritz Meyer.

The Beavers lost the lead they built in the first, but got back on the board in the third trailing 3-1. The Minot State offense exploded for 10 runs, highlighted by a three-run double off the bat of Riddle, which brought the score to 11-3 in favor of the Beavers.

Concordia, Saint Paul narrowed Minot State’s lead to 11-6 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 15-6 in the fourth inning. The Beavers bats heated up in the inning, scoring four runs, including a two-run double off the bat of Williamson.

The Golden Bears gained ground, closing the gap to 15-10 until MSU added some insurance in the sixth. The Beavers notched two runs in the frame, the big hit being an RBI double from Kary, bringing the score to 17-10 in favor of MSU.