Northern State baseball closed out their season on Saturday in Winona, Minnesota, with a high-scoring battle that ultimately ended in defeat. Despite a strong offensive showing that saw the Wolves score in six of seven innings, the Warriors proved too powerful, securing a 27-8 run-rule victory.

The Wolves came out swinging, taking an early lead in the first inning when Drew Benson drove in Dalton Kesti and Dillon Castellanos with a double. After Winona tied it up in the bottom half, Northern responded in style—Jack Weidner crushed his first home run of the game to right-center field, putting NSU back on top. Dalton Kesti followed suit in the third inning with a solo homer of his own, stretching the lead to 4-2.

But the momentum shifted dramatically in the bottom of the third when Winona exploded for eight runs, flipping the score to 10-4 in their favor. The Wolves refused to back down—Weidner launched his second home run of the day, again to right-center, and Kesti added another two-run blast in the fifth, cutting the deficit to 13-7.

However, the Warriors put the game out of reach in the sixth inning, plating 14 runs to take a commanding 27-7 lead. Northern’s Easton Rerick added a solo home run in the top of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the massive gap, and the game ended via run rule.

Despite the tough finish, several Wolves put together standout performances. Dalton Kesti went 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBIs, and two home runs. Jack Weidner was equally impressive, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs, and a pair of homers. Easton Rerick contributed a 1-for-3 day with a home run, and Drew Benson added a double and two RBIs.

The Wolves finish the season with a 13-29 overall record (11-26 in NSIC play), while Winona improves to 25-24 (20-16 NSIC). For Northern State, it was a season of growth and grit—and a final game that showcased their never-say-die attitude at the plate.