Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State earned a split Tuesday afternoon at the MSU Baseball Complex as the 16^th ranked Mavericks took game one 9-8 in ten innings before falling 6-0 in game two.
 
Concordia set the tone early scoring two runs courtesy of RBI singles by both Logan Bouts and Doug Stearns.
 
The Golden Bears would add to their lead the following inning as they scored three more runs highlighted by a two-run home run by Bryan Lippincott giving CU a 5-0 lead.
 
Minnesota State found the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run by freshman Nolan Johnson which cut the lead to four at 5-1.
 
Junior Lucas Skjefte connected on an RBI triple in the third inning which scored sophomore Todd Standish who led off the inning with a double before he would eventually score on a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 5-3.
 
After Concordia extended its lead to 7-3 in the fourth inning, MSU would cut the lead to one as senior Ben Kincaid and sophomore Scott Lindner each drove in runs making the score 7-5.
 
The Golden Bears would add one final run in the top of the seventh before Minnesota State would tie the score in the bottom of the inning by way of the long ball.  Senior Matt Kuchenbecker would reach on a single before fellow senior Pat Dockendorf was hit by a pitch which set up senior Jeremy Sudbeck who hit a three-run home run to tie the game at eight.
 
After a scoreless eighth and ninth inning, MSU scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10^th as Johnson’s RBI single to left drove in freshman Connor McCallum who had walked earlier in the inning.
 
MSU was led at the plate by Johnson who finished 4-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Also recording multiple hits for the Mavericks were Skjefte who went 3-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored and Kincaid who finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Earning the win for the Mavericks was sophomore Bryce Bellin who allowed no runs on two hits while striking out four batters in three innings of relief.
 
The Golden Bears struck first against in the second game of the afternoon as Bouts and Stearns once against connected on run-producing hits to give Concordia the 2-0 lead.
 
Concordia extended its lead to 4-0 in the third inning as Kris Long connected on a two RBI single to centerfield which scored Greg Larpenter and Bryan Lippincott.
 
After starting pitcher Griff Kilber allowed just one hit through his first five innings, the Golden Bears would add another run in the top of the fifth as Troy Dubay connected on an RBI single giving the Golden Bears a 5-0 lead.
 
Concordia added an insurance run in the seventh inning before Kilber would earn his first win of the season with a complete-game effort.  Kilber allowed no runs on just two hits while striking out six batters.
 
MSU starting pitcher sophomore Tyler Ockuly picked up the loss after allowing five earned runs on five hits in five innings pitched.
 
Picking up both Maverick hits in the second game was Johnson who finished 2-for-2 at the plate.  During the second game Skjefte saw his 21-game on-base streak come to an end while Kuchenbecker lost his 12-game hitting streak.
 
With the split, MSU is now 17-5 overall and 5-1 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference while Concordia moves to 14-8 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
 
The Mavericks return this weekend in Bismarck, N.D., with a doubleheader against U-Mary.  First pitch is scheduled for noon on both Friday and Saturday.