Baseball Earns 3-2 Win Over No. 4 Minnesota State

WINTER HAVEN, FLA. – The Northwood University baseball team picked up an impressive 3-2 win over No. 4 Minnesota State Monday afternoon (March 9).

Northwood improves to 5-2 with the win. Minnesota State falls to 5-1 with the loss.

The Timberwolves got off to a strong start in the game, plating a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. After a Daniel Pulver (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.) one-out single, Tanner McCarn (Olivet, Mich./Kellogg CC) hit his team-leading third home run of the season to put NU up 2-0. McCarn now has a team-leading 11 RBIs on the season.

Minnesota State got a run back in the third inning on a two-out single, but the pitchers would control the play from that point to the ninth inning. Both teams had multiple chances to push across runs, but the score remained 2-1 until the ninth inning.

Northwood got an important insurance run in the top of the ninth inning on an RBI double by Travis Smith (Clare, Mich.).  The Mavericks responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double of their own with one out, but Jason Wimbury (Warren, Mich./Kaskaskia CC) closed the door and clinched the win for the Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves out-hit the Mavericks 14-9 for the game.  Northwood also had one more walk than Minnesota State (3-2).  MSU stranded 11 runners on base for the game, while Northwood left 10.

McCarn ended up 3-4 with a runs scored, a home run and two RBIs. Pulver finished the game 4-5 with a run scored, while Nick Barrientos (Zionsville, Ind./Danville Area CC) added a pair of hits.

Northwood's pitching turned in a strong game for the Timberwolves. Alex Lewandowski (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) improved to 2-0, picking up the win thanks to allowing one unearned run in six innings of work. Wimbury came in to earn the save thanks to allowing one unearned run in three innings of work.

The Timberwolves will play a single game against Alderdon-Broaddus Tuesday morning (March 10). Game time is set for 10 a.m.