BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (NDSU Athletics) – North Dakota State baseball Head Coach Tod Brown earned his 300th win on Monday, as the Bison swept a doubleheader with Western Kentucky. NDSU took the first game 8-5 after trailing 3-0 into the third inning and rolled in the nightcap with a 10-2 victory after posting seven runs in the first three innings.
Brown earned his 300th victory in the first game, as NDSU improved to 2-1 overall with the sweep. Western Kentucky dropped to 1-2 on the year. NDSU returns to action on Friday, Feb. 26, when the Bison travel to Saint Louis for a four-game series with the Billikens. The two teams are scheduled to play one game on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday.
Brock Anderson, Tucker Rohde, Will Busch and Jack Simonsen each had two hits in the opener. Bennett Hostetler and Simonsen each scored twice, while Peter Brookshaw, Busch and Simonsen each drove in two runs. Ben Smith had a no-decision on the mound, as he allowed three runs on seven hits in four innings, while striking out two and walking two. Zach Smith picked up the victory, tossing three scoreless innings. Z. Smith allowed two hits, while walking one and striking one out. Anderson earned the save, as he struck one out in an inning of work.
After trailing 3-0 into the third inning, the Bison took the lead with a four run inning. Brookshaw singled up the middle to bring in Jake Malec and Simonsen. An infield single by Rohde brought in Anderson before Brookshaw scored on a wild pitch. In the top of the fourth, Simonsen hit the first Bison home run of the season, as Busch scored. Busch had an RBI single in both the fifth and seventh innings, as Hostetler scored each time.
In the nightcap, Anderson and Brookshaw each had three hits, while Hostetler, Simonsen and Malec each had a pair. Anderson scored three times, while Calen Schwabe and Simonsen each scored twice. Brookshaw, Hostetler and Simonsen each drove in two runs. Evan Sankey earned the victory in the start, as he struck out eight in five shutout innings. Sankey didn’t walk a batter and allowed five hits. Tristen Roehrich struck out four and walked one, while allowing two runs on four hits in three innings.
Brookshaw singled to bring in Anderson to start the game before scoring on a double down the left field line by Hostetler. Rohde singled up the middle to bring in Hostetler before scoring on an infield single by Nick Emanuel. In the second, Brookshaw singled to bring in Anderson. NDSU added a pair in the third, as Simonsen doubled to bring in Schwabe before Simonsen scored on an error after Malec reached on an infield single. Hostetler brought in Anderson on a single in the sixth, while Simonsen singled up the middle in the seventh to bring in Schwabe. Simonsen scored the final NDSU run on a wild pitch in the seventh.
