The Briar Cliff baseball team split its four-game series with the Bismarck State Mystics March 7–8 at the Bishop Mueller Complex.
Nico Sall led the Chargers at the plate over the weekend, batting .700 with a .786 on-base percentage. Sall totaled two home runs, two doubles and a stolen base in the series.
Game 1 – L, 9-1
Bismarck State took an early 2–0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning. The Chargers pushed across their lone run when Sall delivered an RBI single on a 1–2 count to cut into the deficit.
Sall finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate. Cael Walrod added a hit while Raenan Padilla recorded a double.
Nick Hays started on the mound for Briar Cliff, tossing 5.2 innings while allowing six hits and striking out eight batters.
Game 2 – W, 10-4
After allowing four runs in the top of the first inning, freshman pitcher Brendan Ward settled in to throw 4.1 innings, allowing seven hits while striking out two and walking one. Zach LaMont closed the final 2.2 innings, striking out four while keeping the Mystics off the scoreboard.
Briar Cliff cut into the lead in the bottom of the second inning when Jake Christianson delivered an RBI single on the first pitch of the at-bat. Greyson Kay followed with an RBI single to bring home another run.
In the third inning, Sall launched a solo home run on a 2–1 count to trim the lead to one.
The Chargers broke the game open in the fourth inning with six runs. Sall drove in a run with an RBI single before Cade Marquardt lifted a sacrifice fly to give Briar Cliff the lead. Connor Neubeck later drew a bases-loaded walk and Damon Schmid added a two-run single to extend the lead to 8–4. Christianson capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to make it 9–4.
Sall added an insurance run in the fifth inning with his second home run of the game.
Sall finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while Schmid and Kay each collected two hits.
Game 3 – W, 19-7
The Chargers fell behind 7–1 through the first two innings before erupting for 18 runs over the final five frames to secure the win.
Bismarck State scored twice in the first inning and added five runs in the second to build the early lead. Briar Cliff responded with a five-run second inning to pull within one at 7–6. Walrod drove in a run with a single before Sall brought home another after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Marquardt followed with a sacrifice fly that scored two runs, and Padilla later drove in a run on an error to cap the inning.
Briar Cliff took control in the fourth inning with seven runs. Connor Neubeck and Damon Schmid each drew bases-loaded walks to bring home runs, while Sall delivered a three-run double to give the Chargers a 12–7 advantage.
The Chargers added two more runs in the fifth when Greyson Kay doubled to drive in a pair before extending the lead again in the sixth inning. Marquardt highlighted the frame with a three-run home run as Briar Cliff pushed the lead to double digits.
Marquardt led the Chargers with five RBIs while Sall added four RBIs. Walrod and Schmid each scored three runs as Briar Cliff finished with 11 hits and 13 walks.
Brock Saya earned the win on the mound, pitching five innings and striking out six. Johnny Reed worked the final two innings in relief, allowing one hit while striking out three.
Game 4 – L, 11-5
Bismarck State jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning when Kaeden Wilcox hit a two-run home run to give the Mystics a 2–0 advantage.
Briar Cliff answered in the bottom of the inning when Walrod was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 2–1.
The Mystics extended their lead in the second and third innings. A balk brought home a run in the second before Pacey Phillips delivered an RBI single to make it 4–1. Phillips added a two-run double in the third to push the lead to 6–1.
The Chargers responded in the third when Caleb St. Cyr singled to right field to drive in Nico Sall and Cade Marquardt, cutting the score to 6–3.
Bismarck State pulled away with a three-run fourth inning highlighted by an RBI double from Tate Mart. The Mystics added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to build an 11–4 lead.
Briar Cliff plated its final run in the sixth inning when Raenan Padilla drew a bases-loaded walk to score Kaden Allred.
Jake Christianson led the Chargers offensively, finishing 3-for-4. St. Cyr drove in two runs while Padilla added two RBIs. Sall, Marquardt and Landon Waldschmitt each recorded a hit.
Briar Cliff moves to 7–12 on the season and will open GPAC play next Saturday on the road against Hastings. The Chargers and Broncos will play a four-game series beginning with a doubleheader at 12 p.m.
