MANKATO, Minn. --- The Maverick baseball team played host to the St. Cloud State Huskies for the start of the final Northern Sun Intercollegiate regular season series Saturday afternoon. The two teams entered the day tied for first-place in the NSIC. The Huskies took game one, 4-3, while MSU defeated SCSU 5-4 in game two.
The Huskies scored the opening run of game one in the second inning when SCSU’s outfielder Jordan Smith hit a single, eventually reaching home courtesy of a RBI single from outfielder Tyler Horning.
SCSU added two more in the top of the fourth when sophomore Joey Benke advanced home on a fielder’s choice, followed up by an RBI single from senior Sam Radbil.
The Mavericks tallied their first runs of the contest in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of RBI singles from junior designated hitter Pat Dockendorf and sophomore second baseman Matt Kuchenbecker, making the score 3-2 in favor of SCSU.
The Huskies added their fourth run of the contest in the seventh when Tyler Horning scored on a fielder’s choice.
MSU cut the Huskies lead to just one run in the eighth when Dockendorf batted in his second runner of the day, senior third baseman Kosuke Hattori, but that was it as the Mavericks fell to SCSU, 4-3.
Sophomore righty Bret Mitchell suffered his third loss of the season, now 8-3. In seven innings of action, he gave up four runs on ten hits, walking two and striking out five.
In game two, SCSU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. All three of the Huskies runs came by way of a Beau Musgjerd homer to right field.
SCSU increased their lead to 4-0 in the second when Steve Rindelaub hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Horning.
The Mavericks earned two runs in the bottom of the second, and another in third to get within one run. In the second, freshman outfielder Kyle Svoboda took ball four with the bases loaded, sending Dockendorf in to score, while sophomore first baseman Matt Odegaard scored in a fielder’s choice. In the third, sophomore pitcher Ben Kincaid stole home on a pick-off attempt to first.
It took until the bottom of the seventh inning for the Mavericks to come up with the win. With the bases loaded, junior outfielder Danny Miller hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing junior shortstop Zach Rowles to tie the game. Dockendorf then hit the game winning RBI single, sending Hattori in to score.
Kincaid improved his record to 6-3 with the win. The righty pitched his fourth complete game of the season, seven innings, giving up four run, three earned, off of five hits, walking three and striking out five.
Dockendorf extended his hitting streak to 11 games and finished the afternoon going five-for-eight with a team-best three RBI.
The Minnesota State baseball squad (34-12, 23-7 NSIC) and the Huskies (36-11, 23-7 NSIC) enter tomorrows twinbill in a three team tie for first-place in the NSIC along with Winona State. Tomorrow’s doubleheader is slated for a 12:00 p.m. start.
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Game one stats, click HERE.
Game two stats, click HERE.
Season stats, click HERE.
