Omaha, Neb. --- The Minnesota State baseball team opened conference play this afternoon with a sweep over fellow Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) member Mary. The Mavericks downed the Marauders in the first game, 3-1, and then crushed UM, 8-0, in the second contest.
Per NSIC rules, the first game of each conference doubleheader will be a 7-inning game, while game two will be a 9-inning game.
In opening contest, the two teams exchanged runs in the first, when senior infielder Zach Rowles scored on a RBI single from junior outfielder Ben Kincaid, followed by Mary’s lone run coming on an RBI triple from senior infielder Adrian Garcia.
The Mavericks recaptured the lead in the second. Junior infielder Matt Kuchenbecker doubled then scored on fielder’s choice hit by senior pitcher Danny Miller. MSU scored the final run of the game in the fifth when Kincaid singled, and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Mavericks finished with seven hits to UM’s three.
Kincaid lead MSU at the plate, going 2-for-3 and a Run batted in.
Miller earned the victory for the Mavericks, now 3-1 on the season, pitching six innings, giving up one run off of three hits, walking one and fanning nine. Sophomore righty Mahlon Zimmermann closed the game for MSU, pitching a scoreless seventh, striking out two and picking up his third save of the year.
In the second game, the Mavericks scored runs in the first and second before rattling off three in the fourth. Junior infielder Pat Dockendorf hit a lead-off home run, followed by senior outfielder Aaron Berner and junior infielder Jeremy Sudbeck hitting sacrifice flies.
Dockendorf ripped an RBI double to score Miller in the fifth, giving MSU a 6-0 lead. Rowles and Miller gave the Mavericks the, 8-0, win with a pair of RBI singles in the sixth.
Minnesota State out hit the Marauders, 11-3 in the game.
Dockendorf went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, homer and an RBI.
Senior right-handed pitcher Blake Schwartz improved his record to 4-0 on the year going eight innings, scattering three hits, walking two and striking out four. Freshman righty Tyler Ockuly pitched a scoreless ninth to close the game.
The Mavericks (9-5 overall, 2-0 NSIC) will wrap-up their series with the University of Mary Marauders tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. in Omaha, Neb.
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