By Noah Grant / Sports Reporter / Sioux Falls, S.D.

-The St. Cloud State baseball team staved off elimination on Thursday evening, defeating the Wayne State Wildcats 19-5 at The Birdcage in Sioux Falls.  

The Huskies offense scored in six different innings while getting dominant pitching from Cael Kolacia in the win.  

SCSU wasted no time getting on the board, scoring three times in the first on four hits, including triples from Eric Bello and Wilmis Castro. Castro was back at it in the second, crushing a three-run homer as the Huskies scored another four runs to make it 7-0.  

In the third, the wheels fell off for the Wildcats pitching as they issued six walks in the inning and the Huskies extended their lead to 11-0.  

Wayne State would get on the board against Kolacia in the bottom of the third, as two infield singles brought up Max Heard. The Wildcats DH homered to right, bringing the score to 11-3. 

The momentum would end there for Wayne State, however, as the Huskies scored six times in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded, a full count and two outs, Taehyung Kim hit a grand slam over the right-field wall.  

After the Wildcats scored a pair in the bottom of the fifth, the longball success continued for the Huskies in the sixth. Ethan Navratil joined the party with his second homer in as many games.  

The Huskies would round out the scoring in the ninth on an RBI single by Eric Bello, driving in Grayson Fuchs after his pinch-hit single. Kahler Key came on and struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game.  

With the win, St. Cloud advances to Friday to face the University of Sioux Falls Cougars at 3:30 p.m. at The Birdcage. Noah Grant will have the call on the KVSC Sports Stream.  

Photo Credit: SCSU Athletics.