Box Score Mankato, Minn. --- Top-seeded Minnesota State scored twice in the top of the first inning and exploded for 11 runs in the seventh as it never trailed en route to defeating fifth-seeded St. Cloud State, 17-1, Sunday afternoon at Franklin Rogers Park to claim its second straight NCAA Central Region Tournament championship and advance to the NCAA DII World Series for the third time in the last four years (2010, 2012, 2013).
 
The Purple and Gold have now won ten straight contests and 22 of their last 23 games.
 
The Mavericks pounced on SCSU freshman Ryan Diers for a couple of unearned runs in the top of the 1^st inning as senior second baseman Lucas Skjefte ripped a one-out double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a groundout to the right side. After sophomore catcher Nolan Johnson drew a four-pitch walk, junior first baseman Stetson Olson reached on a throwing error by the Huskie third baseman that plated Skjefte, and one pitch later, Johnson came across on a wild pitch giving MSU an early 2-0 cushion.
 
MSU made it a three-run lead an inning later when senior outfielder Scott Lindner took a leadoff walk and stole second base before coming around to score on a single to left field by junior shortstop Todd Standish as Lindner used a phenomenal hook slide to avoid the tag of SCSU catcher Michael Jurgella. The Huskies threatened in their half of the second inning after loading the bases via two singles and a four-pitch walk, but MSU senior righthander Nick Sutherland induced a flyout to straightaway centerfield to keep SCSU off the scoreboard.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Huskies would get to Sutherland as they pushed across a run on an RBI single to right-center field by Jurgella scoring senior Brian Hansen from second base and trimming the MSU margin to 3-1, but the Mavericks came right back in the top of the fifth as Lindner took a bases loaded hit by pitch to score Johnson and regain the three-run lead. SCSU attempted to mount a rally in the bottom of the fifth using a pair of doubles to put two runners in scoring position, but Sutherland stood tall striking out back-to-back hitters to preserve the 4-1 lead.
 
Johnson’s second base hit of the day in the top of the sixth pushed the Maverick lead to 5-1 as he ripped a diamond cutter into centerfield scoring Skjefte, who drew a two-out base on balls. In the top of the seventh, MSU blew the game wide open scoring eleven runs to take a 16-1 advantage as Skjefte, Olson, and senior outfielder Cory Glieden all registered RBI singles, while McCallum and junior Mike Andries each recorded a two-run single in the frame and Standish pitched in an RBI double. Additionally, junior centerfielder Parker Sullivan has a pair of RBI singles in the inning for the Mavericks.
 
Glieden completed the scoring with an RBI double to the left-center field gap in the top of the eighth that scored Olson, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.
 
Sutherland improved to 4-2 for MSU after firing seven innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts, six hits and two walks, while Diers dropped to 0-1 for SCSU after allowing four unearned runs, three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in four innings on the mound.
 
At the plate, Lindner was two-for-four with three runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base, while Skejfte went two-for-five with three runs scored, a double and an RBI. Also, Standish was three-for-five with two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base.
 
McCallum (3B), Sullivan (OF), junior righthander Jason Hoppe (SP) and Johnson (C) all earned a spot on the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team with Johnson being named NCAA Central Region Tournament MVP.
 
Minnesota State (39-8) advances to the NCAA DII World Series in Cary, N.C., where it will begin competition Saturday, May 25, at 5 p.m. ET at the USA Baseball Complex against the champion of the Midwest Region Tournament, either Bellermine University or Grand Valley State. It will be the Mavericks seventh appearance in the NCAA DII World Series - and third in the past four years - where they own a 6-12 all-time record after going 3-2 and placing third a year ago. Additionally, seniors Mike Eckhart, Lucas Skjefte, Scott Lindner and Mahlon Zimmerman are the only four Mavericks in history to attend three NCAA DII World Series tournaments.
 
NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team
C             Nolan Johnson                     MSU
1B           Garrett Fischer                      SCSU
2B           Tyler Cameron                     SAU
3B           Connor McCallum              MSU
SS           David Harris                         SAU
OF           Parker Sullivan                     MSU
OF           Trevor Jones                         UCM
OF           Eric Loxtercamp                  SCSU
UTL        Sam Ryan                             MSSU
SP           Jason Hoppe                        MSU
SP           Brett Abell                             MSSU
 
MVP       Nolan Johnson                     MSU