Erin Cochran/Winonan

The Winona State baseball team returned to the field after an almost two week delay due to weather, splitting a doubleheader against the University of Mary on Saturday, April 20, and defeated the Mary on Sunday, April 21, in Winona.

In game one on Saturday, the Warriors got on the board in the fourth inning as Lucas Crimmins hit a single and Ryan Ledvina followed with a RBI.

In the sixth, the team brought their lead up to 4-0 as Ben Sebesta scored off an error and Lucas Warren drove home Crimmins on a single.

Sebesta and Crimmins each had two hits in the opener, contributing the nine total that the Warriors collected in game one.

Mike Wasilik pitched the first six innings, only allowing two hits and one run. He also was able to strike out six before Derek Wojcik took over to close the game, solidifying the 4-1 victory.

In game two, the Warriors opened with a 2-0 lead as Cody Strang hit a homerun off the press box to right field and Crimmins plated another runner after a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Marauders scored four of their own, overthrowing the Winona State lead.

Chase Blazier stayed on the mound for six innings and was able to strike out five and only allowed four runs. Will Lundquist came in for relief and ended the innings scoreless.

Due to snowfall in the morning on Sunday, the Warriors only were able to play one game of their scheduled doubleheader against the University of Mary.

The Marauders attributed the first points on the board as they scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. The Warriors responded quickly, however, scoring three in the top of the second inning.

Strang scored off of a base hit by Sebesta, who also went on to score after a RBI single by Jordan Plamann. Wasilik’s sacrifice fly later on in the frame brought the Warriors up by one, 3-2.

In the third, the game was tied at three but Winona State added two in the fourth and fifth to take the lead and held it for the rest of the game.

Seth McMullen led off the fifth with a solo home run and Plamann added the second later on in the frame with a RBI single. On a sacrifice fly in the seventh, the Warriors were up by 8-5 and in the bottom of the ninth they scored three bringing the final score to 11-6.

Warren and Plamann each recorded two hits during the game, while Strang and Sebesta each had three.

Brandon Verthein stayed on the mound for five innings and only gave up one run and two hits.

Jay Voter pitched two innings and struck out two while Scott Freisburger closed the game with two no-hit innings.

Weather has been a major factor in this season for the Warriors, as it has been for all teams in the Midwest. So far, 12 games have been cancelled which has proved to be challenging for the usually unstoppable Warriors.

“There’s a certain number of conference games a team needs in order to go to playoffs and that next level after the regular season,” head coach Kyle Poock said. “If those games continued to get cancelled for the rest of the season then we’re just out of luck because they don’t get rescheduled.”

“The cancellations and weather all are definitely tough on us, especially our seniors because they are losing games in their final season,” said Wasilik. “We just have to stay positive. I think it is even pushing us to work harder because canceling games means we have to win more games to make the conference tournament.”

“There is not a lot we can do to control the weather,” said Jonathan Nelson. “All we can do is keep practicing like we always do. We have to stay focused on what we can control and that is our effort and attitude. If we can do that once we start playing games we should be in good shape.”

The Warriors are now 13-12 on the season and 7-4 in NSIC play. The team will return to action on April 24 when they host Northern State with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

“With the games we have left, we should be able to make a solid run before the conference tournament, and potentially make a run at the regional tournament,” said Kyle Sill.

To keep up to date with the rest of the Winona State baseball schedule, go to www.winonastatewarriors.com.

Contact Erin at [email protected].