Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State trailed Upper Iowa 8-6 in the eighth inning, but used three runs in the bottom half of the eighth to earn the 9-8 extra-inning win over the Peacocks Friday.
After the first pitch, due to heavy rain, game two was postponed until tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
Minnesota State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Junior infielder Matt Kuchenbecker hit his 13th double of the season, then was plated on a RBI single from junior infielder Jeremy Sudbeck.
The Peacocks would tie things up in the top of two when freshman outfielder Matt Corbitt scored on a wild pitch, but the Mavericks would regain their lead in the bottom of the second when senior infielder Zach Rowles ripped a single to right center sending sophomore designated hitter Lucas Skjefte in to score.
UIU would again knot things up at two each in the top of the third with an RBI single from junior infielder Patrick Arntson, however, Minnesota State would again recapture the lead in the bottom of the third when Sudbeck tagged a triple to right center, then scored when senior catcher Aaron Berner grounded out to second.
Upper Iowa took its first lead of the game in the fourth, 4-3, scoring a pair of runs on a single from junior infielder Rudy Casillas.
MSU scored twice in the sixth, which would send the game into extra innings. Pinch runner Kyle Svoboda scored on a senior outfielder Danny Miller ground out, while Rowles scored on a wild pitch.
The Peacocks would score two run in the top of the eighth on a play in which MSU committed two errors, but the Mavericks battled to score three in the bottom of the eighth to earn the victory.
Miller walked with the bases loaded to start things off for MSU, followed up by junior infielder Pat Dockendorf hitting a sacrifice fly to center field and Sudbeck capping off his impressive outing with the game-winning RBI single to right field, sending pinch runner Parker Sullivan home.
Sudbeck led MSU at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored, while Miller’s two RBI in the game ties the MSU career record at 141. Miller Joins Dave Whiteford and Jay Nessler atop the list. Miller also walked once in the game, which ties Kosuke Hattori's career-best 111 walks.
Sophomore right-handed Mahlon Zimmermann pitched up the win, improving his record to 2-1 on the season. The righty pitched to two final innings, giving up two unearned runs on one hit, fanning two. Junior right-handed pitcher Ben Kincaid started the contest for MSU, going five innings while giving up six runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking one and striking out six.
Minnesota State (24-8, 16-3 NSIC) and Upper Iowa (17-19, 11-12 NSIC) will resume game two tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. at the MSU Baseball Complex in Mankato, Minn. The two teams will then play the originally scheduled doubleheader following the postponed contest.
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