ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul baseball team (20-14, 12-13 NSIC) swept the Wayne State Wildcats (21-12, 16-7 NSIC) with a 7-4 final at Barnes Field on Sunday afternoon.
 
Today's victory marks the first time in recorded program history that the Golden Bears have swept a three-game series against the Wildcats. CSP has only claimed three other midweek doubleheaders against WSC dating back to the series origins in 2001, with the latest coming in 2022.
 
The Golden Bear offense played a vital role in this afternoon's victory as they scored seven times off 13 hits. Bennett McCollow led the way at the plate with a 2-4 showing that included a home run and a double. In addition, the Bloomington, Minnesota native tallied three RBIs, two runs and a walk.
 
Nick Thimsen, Jaden Werner and Mason Nadolney also provided extra-base hits with a double apiece, while Koby McBroome showed a good eye at the plate with a team-leading two walks.
 
On the bump, Ian Segna (4-0) kept his perfect record intact with his fourth win of the season in seven starts. The freshman battled through 5.1 innings with a strikeout, allowing only three earned runs at a hitter-friendly Barnes Field. Matt Sherman made his 14th appearance of the season from the bullpen, and Eric Lundell (2) added his third save of the season after closing the show.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling behind by three runs in the top of the third, the Golden Bears answered firmly with four straight hits, including doubles from McCollow, Thimsen and Werner to even the game at 3-3.
 
In the fourth, Concordia captured the lead after McCollow collected a 3-run homer that sailed over the fence in deep right field to drive in Kal Brohmer and Koby McBroome. McCollow concluded the series with two home runs to extend his season total to four.
 
Sherman entered the game in the top of the sixth in relief for CSP. The senior made an immediate impact after forcing a fly out and retired the tying run with a strikeout to keep the three-run advantage intact.
 
After a two-inning scoring drought, CSP added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI single from Brohmer that scored Bryce Nelson to extend their lead to four runs.
 
Wayne State added their final run of the game in the eighth with an RBI single, but Lundell would halt their momentum with a pair of strikeouts in the 1.2 innings pitched to claim the series finale, 7-4.
 
UP NEXT
The Golden Bears will return to action next Wednesday with a midweek doubleheader against the Winona State Warriors. The first pitch Loughrey Field will take place at 1:30 p.m., with game two following shortly afterward.