Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Stats

Game Two Stats

MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State Mavericks completed the series sweep over Minnesota Duluth Sunday afternoon defeating the Bulldogs 5-3 in game one before earning a 9-3 victory in game two at the MSU Baseball Complex.
 
UMD struck early in game one as Mike Darley’s RBI single drove in Marcus Riewer, who doubled to lead off the game, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
 
It wouldn’t take long for Minnesota State to respond, however, as Matt Kuchenbecker hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to give MSU a 2-1 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs would even the game at two as Darley recorded his second RBI single as he once again drove in Riewer who had earlier reached on an infield single.
 
Minnesota State would break the 2-2 tie in the fifth inning courtesy of a three-run home run by senior Pat Dockendorf, his second of the year, which gave MSU a 5-2 lead.
 
Darley would record his third RBI in the seventh inning for UMD but the comeback attempt would fall short for the Bulldogs as senior right-handed pitcher Nick Sutherland was able to retire the final batter for UMD earning his third save of the year and sealing the 5-3 victory.
 
Kuchenbecker and freshman Nolan Johnson led MSU at the plate as they each went 3-for-3 while Kuchenbecker added two RBI and two runs scored.
 
MSU starting pitcher senior Ben Kincaid earned his second win of the season after allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out four batters in 6.2 innings of work.
 
After a scoreless first two innings in the second game of the afternoon, MSU was first to see the score column in the third inning as Kuchenbecker’s RBI bunt single brought home junior Lucas Skjefte giving MSU the 1-0 lead.
 
Despite a three-run top of the fifth for Minnesota Duluth, the Mavericks broke out the long ball in their half of the inning to recapture the 4-3 lead.  Junior Mike Eckhart got the inning started with a solo home run, his first of the year, before Dockendorf connected on his third home run of the season with a two-run shot to help MSU regain the  lead which it wouldn’t surrender.
 
The Minnesota State pitching staff was able to get out of two crucial jams as starting pitcher sophomore Tyler Ockuly picked up a strikeout on a bases-loaded situation in the top of the sixth before sophomore Jason Hoppe recorded an inning-ending strikeout in the seventh inning with Bulldog runners on second and third.
 
The Mavericks took a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning after a sacrifice fly by sophomore Scott Lindner before UMD was able to cut the lead to one in the following inning due to an RBI single by Orry Engebretsen.
 
MSU would respond in the bottom of the seventh with two runs, highlighted by Kuchenbecker’s RBI single, before each team would score two runs in the eighth inning.
 
Sutherland would earn his second save of the day, fourth of the season, as he retired three of the four batters he faced to ensure the 9-6 win.
 
Ockuly picked up his second win of the season after striking out nine batters while allowing three runs on six hits in six innings of work.
 
Three Mavericks recorded multiple hits in the second game as Skjefte went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Kuchenbecker and Dockendorf each went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
Skjefte saw his 14-game hit streak come to an end in the first game of the afternoon has he went 0-for-2 with a run scored.
 
Minnesota Duluth fell to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as the two wins improve MSU to 13-3 overall and 4-0 in the NSIC.
 
The Mavericks return to action next weekend with a pair of doubleheaders against Sioux Falls in South Dakota.  Saturday’s action is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m., while Sunday’s first pitch is scheduled for noon.