March 21, 2008

Minneapolis – For the second straight day, a pre-dawn start time did little to dampen the University of Mary bats. When the first pitch was thrown at 6 a.m., over an hour before the crack of dawn, the Marauders exploded for five runs in the first inning on their way to a 20-run outburst in a 20-8 win over Northern State. The Marauders recorded a 6-5 win in game two to sweep the dawn doubleheader and their four-game Northern Sun Metrodome Classic series with the Wolves.

Mike Feldman was U-Mary’s catalyst in the two victories, homering in both games and getting the save in the second victory. The Northern Sun leader in home runs with six, Feldman went 4-for-7 with six runs scored and five RBI.

The Marauders pounded out 16 hits, including two home runs and five doubles, earned seven walks and were hit by eight pitches

One day after opening the first game with six runs in the first inning, the Marauders started Friday’s double header with five runs in their first at bat. Casey Gray had a two-run double and Mitch Peterson had a two-run single.

U-Mary would build its lead to 9-2 as Peterson was twice hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Feldman had a two-run double. The Wolves got themselves back in the game with a six-run third inning, but the Marauders offense continued its onslaught.

Dan Eichele’s two-run double keyed a seven run fourth inning. In the fifth, Feldman and Liffrig hit back-to-back home runs. It was the second straight game Liffrig homered. Single runs in the sixth and seventh innings finished U-Mary’s season high offensive outburst.

Feldman finished the first game 3-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI. Liffrig scored three runs and drove in three. Peterson was 2-for-3 with five RBI and two runs scored. Gray drove in two runs and scored twice. Ryan Lee was perfect in two at bats, scored three times and drove in two runs. Nate Watson had two hits and scored twice and Andy Leer also scored twice.

Blaze Culliton picked up his first win of the season in relief. He allowed two runs on four hits in 4.1 innings. After giving up two runs in his first inning, Culliton kept the Wolves off the board in the final four innings.

U-Mary gained a 3-0 lead in game two. After scoring a run on a wild pitch in the second inning, Feldman blasted a two-run home run in the third. Northern State rallied for two runs in the bottom of the third, but a Brennan Quintus home run put U-Mary up 4-2. After the Wolves scored to pull within 4-3, Liffrig tripled to drive in a run and scored on a single by Quintus in the fifth.

In the bottom of the seventh, Northern State scored twice with two outs. With the tying run on second, Feldman, on in relief, got the final out of the game on a strikeout.

Watson earned the win for U-Mary, allowing two earned runs in six innings. He gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out five.

Feldman scored twice and drove in two runs. Liffrig scored two runs and drove in one. Quintus, 2-for-3, knocked in two runs.

With the series sweep, U-Mary improves to 5-12 overall and 4-0 in the Northern Sun. Northern State fals to 2-8 and 0-4 in conference play.

The Marauders are set to open up their home slate of games when U-Mary hosts Concordia College in a single nine-inning game at 3:30 p.m. on March 26.