College baseball: Bulldogs stave off elimination again, oust Winona State in NSIC tournament

BRANDON, S.D. — Minnesota Duluth fought off elimination for a second consecutive day at the NSIC baseball tournament, ousting Winona State with a 7-1 victory on Friday.

The elimination game between the sixth-seeded Bulldogs and fifth-seeded Warriors was delayed a day by severe thunderstorms in South Dakota. Those storms left one of the two fields hosting the NSIC tournament — Augustana’s Ronken Field in Sioux Falls — unplayable after the outfield fence and a foul pole were damaged .

The entire tournament will now conclude using just the University of Sioux Falls’ field in Brandon, and the championship was moved from Saturday to Sunday.

The Bulldogs will play No. 4 Minot State in an elimination game on Saturday. First pitch will be 45 minutes after the conclusion of the 11 a.m. winners’ bracket game between No. 1 Augustana and No. 3 Minnesota State-Mankato.

The winner of Bulldogs vs. Beavers will play the loser of MSUM and Augie in the final game of the day Saturday.

Sunday’s championship is scheduled for 11 a.m., with a second-game to follow if necessary.

Senior center fielder Tim Pokornowski of Cloquet and junior shortstop Alex Wattermann both went 3-for-5 at the plate on Friday to help keep the Bulldogs’ season alive and end Winona State’s. Both drove in runs as part of a four-run sixth inning.

Fifth-year senior first baseman Brodie Paulson also drove in two runs in the sixth while a three-run homer by sophomore left fielder Austin Gordon gave UMD the early lead in the second inning.

Junior pitcher Chad Fox got the win on the mound for UMD, giving up the one earned run off five hits with four strikeouts and no walks.