Minnesota State Earns NSIC Regular Season Title

5/2/2010 5:46:53 PM

MANKATO, Minn. --- The Mavericks played host to the St. Cloud State Huskies Sunday afternoon after the two teams split Saturday. MSU and SCSU entered the day in a three-way tie with Winona State for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season title. The Mavericks swept the Huskies by scores of 5-0 and 7-2 and finished first in the standings, earning the regular season title.

This season marks the first NSIC regular season title from the Mavericks. Last season the team finished second in the standings and won the conference tournament in St. Cloud, Minn.

The Mavericks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when junior shortstop Zach Rowles smashed his fourth home run of the season, a lead-off homer to left center.

MSU junior designated hitter Pat Dockendorf led off the fourth inning with a single up the middle and moved to third on single through the right-side from sophomore first baseman Matt Odegaard. The Mavericks bumped their lead to 2-0 when sophomore second baseman Matt Kuchenbecker slapped down a bunt single, allowing Dockendorf to reach home.

Minnesota State added two more in the sixth inning, junior outfielder Danny Miller earned a walk, and then was battled in courtesy of a Kuchenbecker ripping a double to left field. Kuchenbecker was then sent home after a single to left field by junior catcher Steven Helget; making the score, 4-0.

Senior third baseman Kosuke Hattori put the Mavericks fifth run on the board in the seventh. Hattori led off with a double, stole third base and reached home on a throwing error by the catcher. The steal marked Hattori’s 33rd steal of the season, setting a new single-seasons record for steals. The former record was set by Gene Glenn who recorded 32 steals in 1978.

Dockendorf led the Mavericks at the plate, finishing game one three-for-four with a run scored.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Blake Schwartz tossed a complete game shutout, pitching all nine innings, while scattering six hits, walking one and striking out six. The complete game marks the fourth of the season for Schwartz.

In game two, the Huskies jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second. After SCSU senior Tyler Horning reached on a walk and stole second, freshman Travis Cariveau hit a single through the right-side sending Horning home.

The Mavericks captured the lead in the bottom of the second. Helget started things off for MSU with a double off the left-field wall, and then advanced to third on a single from freshman outfielder Mike Eckhart. Eckhart followed up his single with a stolen base, which allowed Rowles to rip a two-run double down the left-field line, scoring Helget and Eckhart. Sophomore outfielder Ben Kincaid then singled to center-field sending Rowles in to score.

MSU increased its lead to 5-1 after a two run third inning thanks to RBI singles from Kuchenbecker and Helget.

In the fifth, the Mavericks bettered their lead to 6-1 after Helget reached on a single to first, and then was batted in on an Eckhart double to left center.

SCSU scored its second run of the game in the sixth when Jeff Huer hit a sacrifice fly to left-field, sending Joey Benke in to score.

The bottom of the fifth saw the Mavericks added an insurance run. Miller hit a sacrifice fly to right-field, allowing Hattori reach home.

Senior right-handed pitcher Pat Lenton improves his record to 8-3 on the season with the complete game win. He tossed all seven innings, while giving up 2 runs off of seven hits, walking two and striking out four.

Dockendorf finished the afternoon four-for-six, earning hits in each of Sunday’s contests, extending his hitting streak to 13 games.

The Minnesota State baseball team (36-12, 25-7 NSIC) will own the #1-seed in the NSIC tournament next week, May 5-8, which takes part in St. Cloud, Minn.

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To view game one stats, click HERE.
To view game two stats, click HERE.
To view season stats, click HERE.

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