Mavericks Sweep Mustangs 11-2, 8-2

4/1/2010 6:41:36 PM

MANKATO, Minn. --- Minnesota State played host to the Southwest Minnesota State in a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at MSU Baseball Complex. The game marked MSU’s first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference home contest of the season and the Mavericks swept SMSU by scores of 11-1 and 8-2.

In game one, junior Zach Rowles opened up a four-run first inning for the Mavericks by reaching home on an error. Junior Danny Miller hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring senior Kosuke Hattori, while junior Steven Helget doubled down the right field line, batting in sophomore Ben Kincaid. Sophomore Matt Kuchenbecker finished up scoring in the first for MSU with an RBI single.

The Mustangs only tally of the game came by way of Senior Derick Swenson who hit a solo home run to right field, making the score 4-1.

Minnesota State put three more on the board in the sixth starting with a Hattori RBI single and Rowles and Miller scoring on errors.

The Mavericks finished up the contest scoring four in the third, ten-running the Mustangs in seven innings.

Hattori led MSU at the plate, earning four hits off of five at bats, scoring twice and tallying one RBI.

Senior right hand pitcher Patrick Lenton earned his sixth win of the year with a complete game, giving up one run, four hits and striking out five in seven innings. With the win, Lenton betters his record to 6-2.

In the second game, the Mustangs took an early 2-0 lead after the top of three, but the Mavericks knotted up the contest in the bottom of the third when freshman Matt Odegaard scored on a throwing error and Kincaid hit an RBI triple, scoring Hattori.

Hattori hit a single through the right side, scoring Rowles, to give the Mavericks the 3-2 lead in the fifth and Kincaid all but sealed the win for the Mavericks in the sixth with a grand slam to right field.

Kincaid finished the contest with a triple and a grand slam home run at three at bats to lead MSU.

Sophomore right handed pitcher Blake Schwartz pitched six innings, giving up two runs off six hits and striking otut six, to improve his record to 6-0.

The Mavericks (20-6, 9-1 NSIC) and Mustangs (8-8, 4-2 NSIC) will square-off again tomorrow afternoon in Marshall, Minn. with a 1:30 p.m. start time.

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