BRANDON, S.D. — Minnesota Duluth baseball's Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament run ended on Saturday but not without a fight.
The Bulldogs defeated Minot State 6-4 to reach the final game in the elimination bracket but were dismissed there 11-1 by top-seeded Augustana in seven innings.
The Vikings put the game and the Bulldogs' season away with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jack Hines went 4-for-4 with a home run, a double and four RBIs for Augustana, and three other players had two hits apiece.
Jed Schmidt went the distance for the Vikings, allowing an unearned run on four hits in seven innings. He struck out one and walked three.
Chase Eiden started for UMD and allowed one run on three hits in 2 2/3 innings, walking two and fanning one. Four other pitchers followed him.
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Tim Pokornowski (Cloquet) was the only Bulldog with two hits and drove in UMD's only run on an RBI single in the fifth inning.
In the early game vs. Minot State, UMD took control in the fifth inning after Tosten Mann and Brodie Paulson hit matching two-run homers to make it 5-1. Minot clawed back to make it 5-3, then 5-4 when Dillon Buckmeier singled to score Kaiden Cardoso, but a relay from the outfield on the same play cut down the potential tying run on a play at the plate. After Mann homered again to make it 6-4, Alex Wattermann retired the Beavers in order in the ninth to clinch the win.
Mann finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Isaac Benesh got the win in relief, allowing one earned run on two hits in 2 1/3 innings after Zach Kuseske allowed one run on two hits in the first four innings.
UMD finishes its season 25-25.
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