AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- The Wayne State University baseball team (9-10 overall) split a double dip against Minnesota Duluth (8-7 overall) on Saturday, falling by a score of 7-2 before bouncing back for a 3-1 triumph in the nightcap.  Next up, the Warriors will be at No. 7 Florida Southern (18-5 overall) for a four-game set on Friday through Sunday.

GAME ONE
Each team scored a run in the first as Wayne State's came in when Bennett Hitzelberger (Richmond, Mich.) forced in Mason McGuire (Lyon Twp., Mich. / Brighton [Mott CC]) with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Minnesota Duluth proceeded to notch one score apiece in the second, third and fourth frames to lead by three, 4-1.

In the bottom of the fourth, McGuire reached on a fielder's choice to the shortstop allowing Brady Blakita (Canton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) to cross home plate.  However, that'd be it for the Warriors' scoring as the Bulldogs tacked on an insurance run in both the sixth and seventh innings to win by five.

Making his first career start, Hitzelberger dropped to 0-1 and pitched two innings.  The junior gave up two earned runs on two hits with three walks and one strikeout.

Braylon Laroo (Canton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central) proved to be WSU's most effective reliever during his three frames of work.  Laroo surrendered two runs, only one earned, on five hits with no free passes and a punchout.

From there, Nick Baker (Brighton, Mich. [Lansing CC]) and Keegan Pulford-Thorpe (Aurora, Ont. / Newmarket [Central Florida / Georgia Highlands College]) each tossed one inning.

GAME TWO
Sophomore hurler Will DeMasse (Macomb, Mich. / Dakota) was the story for Wayne State in game two.  DeMasse (1-0) tallied his first career pitching victory after four-and-a-third frames on the mound.  The right-hander allowed one earned run on four hits accompanied by two walks and one strikeout.

Ethan Getting (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Portage Northern [Purdue Northwest] then picked up the eight-out save, his first in the Green & Gold and second of his career.  Getting's line featured just one hit, one free pass and four punchouts.

At the plate, Wayne State plated a pair of runs right off the bat.  In the top of the first, Hitzelberger singled in Jacoby Dale (Roseville, Mich. / Roseville [Spring Arbor/Henry Ford CC]) and Caleb Sanders (Eastpointe, Mich. / Detroit Edison Public School Academy [Dayton]) brought in Tony Hatzigeorgiou (Oxford, Mich.) on a groundout to second.

Minnesota Duluth got one back in the fourth before the Warriors made it 3-1 in the seventh as Hitzelberger doubled in pinch-runner Gabe Zeldes (West Bloomfield, Mich. / Detroit Country Day).