Mavericks Wrap Up Regular Season at Home This Weekend

4/27/2010 3:38:54 PM

MANKATO, Minn. — The Minnesota State baseball squad (31-11 overall, 20-6 NSIC) travel to St. Paul, Minn. to face Concordia University for a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference twinbill Wednesday afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m. The Mavericks then wrap up the regular season playing host to St. Cloud State for a four-game series this weekend with Saturday's doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday's at 12:00 p.m.

Last Action: MSU dropped game one of last Wednesday's doubleheader to Concordia, 17-7, then defeated the Golden Bears in the second game, 8-5. The Mavericks then took three-of-four NSIC contests from Wayne State over the weekend. They defeated the Wildcats, 11-4, then fell to WSC, 9-8 on Sunday, then defeated the Wildcats 6-3 and 3-0 on Monday.

About Concordia University: The Concordia University Golden Bears, currently 22-24 and 14-11 in the NSIC, took three-of-four home contests over Bemidji State last weekend, winning their first three games by scores of 20-8, 4-3, 12-9, then dropping the fourth, 4-3. The Golden Bears are led by sophomore shortstop Bryan Lippincott who leads the squad in nearly all offensive categories and are coached by Mark McKenzie.

About St. Cloud: The St. Cloud State Huskies, currently 34-9 and 21-5 in the NSIC, swept the Northern State Wolves over ther weekend, defeating them by scores of 14-1, 7-0, 15-2 and 21-2. St. Cloud freshman Jordan Smith leads the Huskies in nearly all offensive categories, while SCSU is coached by Pat Dolan.

Team and Player Notes:
- MSU has outscored their opponents 313-159 on the season and out hit their opponents 431-282.
- The Mavericks have scored the majority of their runs in the third (45) and the fifth (47) innings this season, while also having given up the most runs in the third (26) and fifth (31).
- Senior third baseman Kosuke Hattori, a native of Kanagawa, Japan, ended his team season-high 18-game hit streak Monday afternoon. The switch hitter owns a .331 batting average, with six doubles, three triples, two home runs and 31 RBI on the year. Hattori sits first on MSU's all-time list in stolen bases with 89 (needing only four more steals this season to become the single season record holder), first in games played with 199 and became the programs all-time walks leader Monday afternoon, earning the 100th of his career. The third baseman also sits second in career runs (157), second in career at bats (617), second in career hits (208) and tied for third in career triples (9).
- Junior shortstop Zach Rowles, a native of Sun Prairie, Wis., the only Maverick to record two, four-hit games this season and is the owner of severeal team-bests including: a .380 batting average, 158 at bats, 52 runs, 60 hits, 15 doubles, 87 total bases, .429 OBP and is second on the team in steals with 24.
- Sophomore right-handed pitcher Blake Schwartz, a native of Rosemount, Minn., finished the week with a team-best 2-0 record, including a team-best 11 strikeouts and a team-low 3.21 ERA. The righty opened the week last Wednesday pitching five innings, giving up five runs (three earned) off of seven hits and striking out two in a 8-5 win over Concordia University. Schwartz followed that start up with a nine-inning complete game win over Wayne State by a score of 6-3, Monday. In his nine innings of work, the second year Maverick gave up three runs (two earned) off of four hits and struck out eight.
- Junior designated-hitter Pat Dockendorf, a native of Eagan, Minn., is the owner of a team-best seven-game hitting streak.

On Deck: The Mavericks will take part in NSIC post-season, May 5-8, in St. Cloud, Minn.

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