Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Game One Box

Game Two Box

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The 15^th ranked Minnesota State Mavericks split their doubleheader against the University of Sioux Falls Saturday afternoon as MSU won the first game, 8-0, before falling 4-2 in the second contest.
 
After a scoreless first two innings, Minnesota State reached the scoreboard for the first time in the top of the third inning as junior #Mike Eckhart scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Pat Dockendorf#.
 
An RBI double by sophomore Todd Standish would score freshman Nolan Johnson to give MSU a 2-0 lead before the Mavericks would extend their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth.
 
The Mavericks would put the game out of reach in the sixth inning scoring five runs highlighted by run-producing hits by senior Matt Kuchenbecker, senior Jeremy Sudbeck and Standish giving MSU an 8-0 lead where the score would remain for the final inning.
 
MSU starting pitcher senior Ben Kincaid would allow just three hits in a complete game effort while striking out nine batters en route to his third win of the season.
 
Standish led the Mavericks at the plate finishing 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.  Also picking up multiple hits were Eckhart (2-for-3) and Kuchenbecker (2-for-4).
 
Game two would start scoreless for the first four innings until both teams tallied runs in the fifth inning.  After MSU scored one run in the top of the inning, the Cougars would respond with two runs of their own to take their first lead of the day.
 
The Mavericks would tie the game at two in the following inning as Johnson drove in Kincaid with an RBI single after Kincaid reached on an error to lead off the inning.
 
However, Sioux Falls would score one run in each the seventh and eighth innings to take the 4-2 lead.  Minnesota State was unable to produce a run in the final inning as the Mavericks saw their eight-game winning streak come to an end. 
 
Although MSU was able to get runners on first and second as Kuchenbecker reached on an error before Sudbeck connected on a single, Sioux Falls’ Chris Nichols was able to put an end to the Mavericks threat as he got the final two Maverick batters to fly out.
 
Nichols earned his first save of the season for Sioux Falls after allowing just one hit in the final 1.2 innings.
 
Johnson led MSU offensively going 2-for-3 with a run scored while Kuchenbecker finished 2-for-4 as he is now on an 11-game hitting streak.
 
Sophomore Jason Hoppe dropped his first decision of the season after allowing one run on two hits in two innings pitched in relief of starting pitcher sophomore TJ Larson who allowed two runs on two hits in five innings of work.
 
After Saturday’s split, MSU is 16-4 overall while Sioux Falls moves to 4-20 on the season.
 
Minnesota State is next in action Tuesday, April 3 against Concordia.  The doubleheader against the Golden Bears is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m., at the MSU Baseball Complex.