PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – The North Dakota State baseball team swept Fairfield at the Snowbird Classic on Saturday afternoon. The Bison took game one of the doubleheader, 12-9, before earning a 5-1 win in game two at Centennial Park.
In game one, Fairfield (6-11) built a 3-1 advantage after four innings of play.
Peter Brookshaw answered in the fifth for NDSU (12-8) with a sacrifice fly to center to score
Calen Schwabe and cut the deficit to one, 3-2.
Logan Williams then used an inside the park home run to score
Brock Anderson and steal the lead, 4-3.
Hunter Koep capped off the big frame with his third home run of the season to extend the edge to 5-3.
Fairfield then responded with six straight runs of their own to open up a 9-5 advantage after six innings of play.
Jack Simonsen sparked the Bison in the seventh sending a two RBI single into left field to cut the deficit to two, 9-7. Schwabe then connected on a momentum-shifting two RBI triple into left to lock the contest, 9-9. Brookshaw completed the frame delivering a 2 RBI single into center field to steal the lead, 11-9. After a scoreless eighth inning, Schwabe stole third and took advantage of a throwing error to tack on an insurance run and seal the 12-9 win.
The Bison reached double digits in hits for the fourth straight game with 12. Schwabe went 3-of-4 at the plate with three runs and two RBI, while Brookshaw totaled four RBI with one run.
Skyler Riedinger (1-1) earned his first career win tossing two strikeouts over 1.2 innings.
Jake Drew earned his team-high fourth save of the season finishing the final 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and no walks.
In game two,
Terrell Huggins cracked the game open in the third inning with his first career home run left field. The three RBI shot put NDSU on the scoreboard, 3-0. Matt Venuto responded for the Stags in the bottom half of the third sending a home run to right field to make the score 3-1.
Garret Hill then pushed the Bison edge up to 4-1 in the fourth after he connected on a sacrifice fly into center field to score
Charley Hesse. Huggins put game out of reach after a bases loaded walk later in the frame to help secure the 5-1 victory and series sweep of Fairfield at the Snowbird Classic.
Huggins paced the Bison with a season-high four RBI.
Zach Kluvers also went 2-of-3 at the plate with one run.
Cade Feeney (3-1) nearly went a complete game in the win tossing two strikeouts over 6.0 innings with no walks.
Wyatt Nelson finished the final inning for the Bison registering one strikeout.
NDSU will open up Summit League play next Friday at Northern Colorado. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. CT
