Bemidji, Minn. – The Minnesota State baseball team, rated #9 in the nation and NSIC regular-season champions, extended its winning streak to 25 games with a pair of victories of Bemidji State Saturday, 6-2 and 17-0 (in seven innings).
The 17-0 win ties the season's largest win margin. MSU downed Saginaw Valley 17-0 during the team’s annual trip to Florida earlier this season.
In Minnesota State’s 6-2 win, junior infielder Pat Dockendorf, who had walked to reach, scored on sacrifice fly from senior catcher Steven Helget to give MSU the 1-0 lead.
The Mavericks added two more in the second inning with a two-run homerun off the bat of senior infielder Zach Rowles; his third of the year. Senior outfielder Danny Miller added to MSU’s lead with a RBI single that sent junior infielder Jeremy Sudbeck into score.
After Rowles and junior outfielder Ben Kincaid each singled and advanced on an error in the third, junior infielder Matt Kuchenbecker sent them home on a single through the right side, putting Minnesota State up 6-0.
Bemidji State cut MSU’s lead to 6-2 in the sixth with a two-run double from outfielder Colton Smith. However, MSU would close out the contest and earn the 6-2 win.
Minnesota State out hit the Beavers 12-3 in the win. Rowles led MSU at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance, including a homerun and two RBI. Miller and senior outfielder Aaron Berner each tallied two hits in the contest.
Improving his record to 10-1 on the season was junior pitched Blake Schwartz who pitched his third complete game of the season, giving up two earned runs on three hits in seven innings of work. The righty walked none and sat eight batters down on strikes.
Schwartz becomes the seventh Maverick in program history to record 10 wins in a season.
In game two, MSU jumped out to a 7-0 after the first inning. The seven-run half inning saw Kuchenbecker hit an RBI double, Dockendorf hit a two-run double and score on an error and freshman outfielder Scott Lindner hit a three-run bomb to left field. Lindner’s homer marked the first of his career.
The Mavericks continued their scoring festivities in the fourth and fifth with Miller scoring on an error in the fourth and freshman pinch hitter and infielder Todd Standish hit his first career homerun, a grand slam to left field, putting MSU up 16-0.
Sophomore Lucas Skjefte added run number 17 in the top of the seventh with a solo shot to left field; his second of the season.
The Maverick finished with 14 hits to BSU’s four. Three Mavericks recorded four RBI in the contest to pace the team, including Kuchenbecker (2-for-3), Standish (1-for-1) and Lindner (2-for-4).
Freshman pitcher Bryce Bellin improved to 6-0 on the season, giving up four hits in five scoreless innings, walking two and fanning three.
Minnesota State (37-8, 29-3 NSIC) and Bemidji State (18-27,12-19 NSIC) will wrap up their conference series with a double-dip slated to begin at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon in Bemidji, Minn.
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