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MSU falls in NCC title game

Free Press staff

OMAHA, NEB. — Nebraska-Omaha won its first North Central Conference tournament championship in 24 years by defeating Minnesota State 5-2 Sunday at Seymour Smith Park.

UNO, which also won the NCC regular-season title, took advantage of a two-out error in the bottom of the third and scored three runs on four consecutive hits. UNO staked another run in the fifth on an RBI double by Lyle Lafountain. Lafountain finished the game with two doubles and two RBIs.

"The guys played loose, but one play, one error and (UNO) got three runs," MSU coach Dean Bowyer said. "That's happened to us a lot the last couple of weeks, which has really hurt us.

"Give the credit to them. They got the key hits when they got the opportunity."

MSU claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Omaha starter Nick Russell surrendered a bases loaded walk.

Omaha's Marc Centofante knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning with an RBI single.

Kevin Dixon gave Minnesota State another lead in the third inning with a solo homer to center field. The homer extended Dixon's single-season school record to 18, however, MSU's lead did not last long.

Russell improved to 7-4, scattering seven hits over eight innings.

MSU's Andy Kreidermacher took the loss, allowing 10 hits and two walks and striking out three over five innings.

Kurt Beulke and Ryan Greene each had two of MSU's seven hits

Had MSU been able to win the game, a second game would have been played to determine the tournament champion.

The title is UNO's first since 1981 and third title in the history of the program.

Minnesota State finishes 36-17.

"This team won 36 games, and it's still fairly young ball club," Bowyer said. "Only three teams have done that here. They made a good run at it."