RedHawks drop exhibition contest to NDSU
Kaedan Fischer / kfshots.com
FARGO - The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks mustered up three hits in the last two innings but couldn’t push a run across as they fell short 5-0 to the North Dakota State Bison in an exhibition match on Wednesday night.
After two scoreless frames to begin the game, the Bison broke through in the third to start the scoring. Tommy Simon and Diego Trujillo lifted singles, and Colten Becker worked a walk to load the bases. Kyle Law took a high hit-by-pitch to score one, and Chase Womack lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Bison up 2-0.
The RedHawks loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a walk by Dillon Thomas and two hit-by-pitches from Jose Sermo and Matt Kroon, but a 4-3 groundout would end the inning.
The Bison extended their lead in the top of the fifth. Trujillo led off the inning with a single before Becker ripped a triple off the wall to deep center field to make it 3-0. Womack singled to left field two batters later to extend the lead to four. The Bison scored a fifth run an inning later on a Becker bases-loaded walk.
Jake Hjelle singled to left field in the bottom of the fifth to get the first hit of the day for the RedHawks. Aidan Byrne and Lujano both ripped singles to start the home half of the eighth inning, but no runs would come across after a strikeout and a 5-4-3 double play. Henderson Perez singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but the RedHawks were quickly retired after a 1-4-3 double play and a flyout to center field.
Lujano led the RedHawks lineup with two walks and a single, while Hjelle, Byrne and Perez all added hits. Becker led the Bison, going 2-for-2 with a triple and three walks, adding on a run and an RBI.
Kyle Crigger started the evening on the mound, going three innings and striking out four batters. The RedHawks struck out 14 batters on the day, with Jake Dykhoff and Tyler Jeans contributing three each. Parker Harm struck out two in the sixth inning and Jon Beymer punched out two batters in the ninth.
The RedHawks travel south next week, taking on the Kansas City Monarchs in two exhibition matches on Monday and Tuesday.
The RedHawks open the 2026 American Association of Professional Baseball season on May 14 at the Cleburne Railroaders before hosting the Kane County Cougars in the home opener at Newman Outdoor Field on May 22.