April 2, 2001

The Wolves traveled to North Dakota Friday and Saturday and played four games against Minot State University, and came away with three wins in four games.

In the first game against Minot, the Wolves were led by freshman phenom, Rob Picha (Eden Prairie, Minn.) as Picha carried the Wolves offensive load by going 4-4 with 2 home runs and 4 RBI in the Wolves 5-3 win. The home runs were the first and second of what looks to be an exciting four years for Picha and the Wolves. On the mound, junior Eric Borge (Mellette, S.D.) pitched a complete game as he allowed only 3 runs on 2 hits to go along with his career-high 14 strikeouts.

In game number two, there was a lot of offense... from both teams as the two teams combined for 30 runs on 25 hits and Minot prevailed by a final score of 18-12. Borge and freshmen Ryan Wheatley (McCammon, Idaho) and Alex Long (St. Helens, Ore.) led the way offensively with 2 hits apiece as Wheatley knocked in 4 runs for the Wolves. Both of Wheatley's hits were home runs, Borge, Picha and sophomore Owen Olson (Denver, Col.) also homered for the Wolves as they exploded for their biggest offensive output of the season.

On Saturday, the Wolves awoke again with their hitting shoes on as they beat Minot in game number three by a score of 12-2. Sophomore Derrick Dinger (Hecla, S.D.) led the way on the mound for the Wolves as he pitched a complete game, allowing only 4 hits and striking out 6 for his first win of the season. Borge again led the Wolves with the stick, as he went 2-3 with 3 RBI and Olson had another home run for the Wolves as the Wolves were able to 10-run rule Minot in 5 innings. The Wolves got their 12 runs with only 4 hits but were walked 13 times and two batters were hit by a pitch to help NSU pile up the runs.

In the last game of the series the teams played a five-inning game and it took a game-winning, walk-off home run by Ryan Wheatley in the bottom of the fifth to seal the deal in a 9-7 win for the Wolves. Freshman Shawn Young (St. Paul, Minn.) got the nod on the mound for the Wolves and scattered 7 hits over 5 innings and allowed only 3 earned runs to earn his first victory as a Wolf. On the offensive side, Owen Olson homered for his third consecutive game and freshman Eric Coyne (Webster, S.D.) had a breakout game as he went 3-3, scored 3 runs and had 2 RBI. In the bottom of the fifth, with the game tied at 7, Coyne led off the inning with a base hit and was moved over on a sacrifice by freshman Randy Wheatley (McCammon, Idaho). Up-stepped Randy's twin brother, Ryan Wheatley, who then proceeded to give the ball a little ride as he hit the two-run homer to win the game for the Wolfpack.