Thief River Falls, Minn. - 

Northland's bats came alive in the seventh and eighth innings and turned what had been a competitive back-and-forth game into 17-7 win for the Pioneers over the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks Club Team Wednesday night at the Multi-Events Center in Thief River Falls. 

The Pioneers led 9-7 through six innings of play. Justin Amesquita pitched around a leadoff walk with a pair of strikeouts and a lineout in the top of the seventh.

Jeremiah Vallejo led off the bottom half of the inning with a double and scored on a single by Cooper Lawrence. Lawrence stole second and advanced to third on a bunt single by Dylan Smith. Lawrence scored when Austin Amesquita hit into a fielder's choice, with Smith getting forced out at second. Justin Amesquita hit the ball deep to right center for a stand-up and scoring Austin Amesquita. Justin Amesquita advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Lopez and scored on a passed ball to conclude a four-run seventh for the Pioneers.

Justin Amesquita pitched around a couple of UND singles in the top of the eighth to keep the Pioneers in front 13-7. 

Gamaliel Vasquez doubled for the Pioneers to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Vallejo singled on a bunt and Vasquez held up a second. With one out in the inning, Smith singled on a bunt, with both Vasquez and Vallejo scoring on an error that also saw Smith go from first to third. With two outs in the inning and Smith on third, Justin Amesquita ended the game with a two-run home run to right field. 

Overall, Justin Amesquita went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles and a walk, scoring four runs and batting in three. Smith went 4-for-5, with three runs scored. Austin Amesquita, Lopez, Joshua Torres and Vallejo scored two runs each. Lopez (3), Tyler Tamez (2), and Vallejo (2), were RBI leaders for the Pioneers.  

The Pioneers used five pitchers in Wednesday's game and they combined to allow seven runs, six earned, on nine hits.  

Wednesday's game was played at the Multi-Events Center in Thief River Falls and it marked the first time that the Pioneers have played in Thief River Falls during the 2025 season. The Pioneers' true home opener will be Saturday with a scheduled doubleheader against Minnesota North College - Hibbing at Pioneer Field. Game times are 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. 


Scoring
           1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9     R   H  E
UND   0 3 0 1 2 1 0 0 X -   7   9   2
NCTC 4 2 0 3 0 0 4 4 X -  17 15  3

Batting

UND Club         AB    R   H    RBI  BB  SO
B. Muttere SS     3     0    0     0     0      0
No. 22 SS           2     0    1     1     0      0      
G. Kircher SS     4     2     3     3     1     0
L. Partan CF       2     0     1     0     3     1
P. Healy 2B         4     0     0     0     1     3
C. Grof LF           5     0     0     0     0     3
A. Brosnahan RF 2    2     2     0     2     0
D. Flasher 3B      3     1     1     0     1     2
L. Totten DH        4     2     1     2     0     1
S. Schultz 1B      3     0     0     0     0     1
Totals                 32    7     9     6     8     11
Highlights - 2B: G. Kircher, A. Brosnahan; HR. G. Kircher; SB: L. Partaner, G. Kircher (2).
Northland          AB   R   H   RBI   BB   SO
D. Smith RF        5    3    4    0      0     1
A. Amesquita C   3    2    0    1      2     1
J. Amesquita 1B  4    4    3    3      1    0
I. Lopez SS         5    2    1    3      0    1
J. Torres 3B         3    2    1    0      2    0
T. Tamez CF        4    0    1    2      0    1
L. Lopez DH        2    0     0   0      1    1
G. Vasquez 1B    2    1     1   0      0    1
J. Vallejo 2B        5    2     3    2     0    1
C. Lawrence LF  4    1     1    1      0    1
J. Pascal             1    0     0    0      0    1
Totals                 38  17   15  12     6    9
Highlights - 2B: J. Vallejo, I. Lopez, G. Vasquez, J. Amesquita (2); HR: J. Amesquita; SF: T. Tamez; SB: J. Vallejo, I. Lopez, D. Smith (2), C. Lawrence, J. Amesquita. 

Pitching

UND Club         IP   H   R   ER   BB   SO
C. Gilley - L     4.0   6    9    6     4      5
L. Partaner      5.0   4    3    3     2      3
No. 22             0.2   4    4    4     0    1
Northland                IP   H   R   ER    BB    SO
Oriold-Climenhaga 2.0   4   3    2        0     4
A. Powell - W         2.0    0   1    1        4    4
K. Kramer              1.0     3   3    3        2    1
R. Fisher                1.0    0    0    0       1     0
J. Amesquita - S     2.0    2    0    0       1     4