TULSA, Okla. – The second-seeded North Dakota State baseball team came up short in 10 innings against fourth-seeded Northern Colorado, 10-9, at the Summit League Championship at J.L. Johnson Field on Friday afternoon.
With the loss, the Bison close the season with a 20-30-1 overall record. Northern Colorado (16-38-1) will advance to face third-seeded Oral Roberts (26-30-1) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., in the Summit League championship game.
Northern Colorado slowly opened up a 4-0 lead through five complete innings following a Caden Wagner home run in the fifth. Sam Canton provided some energy for NDSU with a two-run home run to right field to cut the deficit in half, 4-2, in the sixth.
NDSU carried the momentum into the seventh after James Dunlap blasted a two-run single into left field to tie the contest, 4-4. Canton finished off the five-run frame with a three RBI home run to put the Bison in front, 7-4.
After Northern Colorado plated a run in the seventh, Cadyn Schwabe extended the lead with an RBI single before Dunlap reached on a fielder’s choice to score Jake Schaffner and make the score 9-5. The Bears answered in the eighth with four runs on four hits to lock the contest, 9-9, following an RBI single off the bat of Caden Wagner. Both teams then battled through a scoreless ninth before Dalton Miller connected on an RBI single in the 10th inning to secure the 10-9 walk-off victory.
The Bison totaled 10 hits as a team with Schwabe going 3-of-6 at the plate with one run and one RBI. Sam Canton added two hits, including two home runs go along with two runs and a career-high five RBI.
NDSU used five combined pitchers with Leland Wilson making the start going 5.0 innings with one strikeout. Joey Danielson (1-5) picked up the loss closing out the final 2.0 innings with one strikeout.