Bemidji, Minn. – The 2011 NSIC Regular-Season Champions and ninth rated Minnesota State Mavericks finished its sweep of the Bemidji State Beavers on the road Sunday, downing BSU 16-5 in game one, and 10-7 in game two.
In the Mavericks 16-5 win, MSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when senior outfield Aaron Berner scored on throwing error by the third baseman and senior catcher Steven Helget scored on a fielding error by the shortstop.
The Beavers knotted things up at two with a two-run homer from right-fielder Juan Molero in the bottom of the second.
Another Bemidji State homerun in the third inning off the bat of designated hitter Zach Braun put the Beavers up 4-2. BSU added another run when Molero hit an RBI single to center field.
Freshman outfielder Scott Lindner cut BSU’s lead to5-3 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, sending Berner into score.
Minnesota State used an explosive fifth inning to capture the lead. Junior infielder Pat Dockendorf got things started with a two-run bomb to right-field, his seventh of the season to knot things up at five. Sophomore designated hitter Lucas Skjefte was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, senior infielder Zach Rowles hit a two-run double, junior infielder Jeremy Sudbeck hit a two-run double and Dockendorf hit an RBI single, giving MSU the 11-5 lead.
MSU scored five more in the seventh courtesy of a RBI single from junior first baseman Matt Odegaard and a grand slam from Berner.
The Mavericks out hit the Beavers, 16-10. Berner led MSU at the plate with a 4-for-5 with a double, homerun, four RBI and four runs scored.
Junior righty Ben Kincaid picked up the win, improving to 2-1 on the season, having given up two hits in three scoreless innings of relief. Kincaid sat three batters down on strikes.
In game two, Bemidji State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run blast to left field courtesy of designated hitter Logan Kalis.
The Maverick knotted things up with an RBI single from junior infielder Matt Kuchenbecker in the third and an RBI single from Kincaid in the fourth. However, the Beavers did not wait long to recapture their league with a one-run single from infielder Brain Ahlers.
Just as in the first game, the Mavericks used a run-filled fifth inning to regain the lead and pull away. Senior outfielder Danny Miller and Berner started things off for MSU, both hitting RBI singles. Helget followed it up with a sacrifice fly. Kincaid then slapped an RBI single down the right field line, Rowles hit a two-run single and Kuchenbecker hit an RBI single. The six-hit inning and sacrifice fly gave MSU the 9-3 lead.
After the two teams exchanged runs in the sixth, then BSU cut Minnesota State’s lead 10-7 after eight, but that is where the score would remain.
The Mavericks again out hit BSU, 15-11. Kuchenbecker led MSU at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Rowles and Kincaid also earned two RBI in the contest.
Improving his record to 2-0 in the season was freshman right-handed pitcher Jason Hoppe who gave up one run on one hit in two innings of relief.
Minnesota State (39-8, 31-3 NSIC) will host the 2011 NSIC Conference Tournament beginning this Wednesday and will be seeded #1.
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