Box Score AUBURNDALE, Fla. --- Second-ranked Minnesota State gained a two-run lead early, but Ashland retaliated with 10 unanswered runs to claim a 10-2 victory in non-conference action at the Russ Matt Invitational Saturday morning at Lake Myrtle Field.
 
The Mavericks move to 8-2 on the season, while Ashland improves to 8-4 overall.
 
MSU jumped in front 2-0 in the bottom of the third when freshman Eric Peterson (Eagan, Minn.) and senior Parker Sullivan (Rapid City, S.D.) reached on a single and hit by pitch, respectively. After the pair advanced on ground out to the right side, junior Nolan Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) plated both runs with a one-out single.
 
Sophomore Josh Matheson (Circle Pines, Minn.) had faced just one batter over the minimum through three innings until the Eagles exploded for six runs in the top of the fourth.  After starting the frame with a ground out, Ashland registered five consecutive hits, including RBI doubles by seniors Tyler Gray and Alex Sortwell, to claim a 3-2 lead. AU added a run on a wild pitch, before sophomore Mike Lewandowski and junior Austin Walts tagged RBI singles giving the Eagles a 6-2 advantage and chasing Matheson from the affair.
 
Walts drove in an additional run with a single in the top of the sixth, before Ashland added a pair of insurance runs, one unearned in the seventh. The Eagles completed the scoring when a base hit plated Lewandowski in the top of the eighth to solidify the 10-2 final.
 
Ashland sophomore Alex Smith (2-0) held the Maverick offense at bay for much of the game scattering six hits and two earned runs with no walks while striking out five to earn the complete-game victory. Matheson (0-1) fanned two Eagles despite allowing eight hits and six earned runs across 3.2 innings of work. Freshman Trevor Patterson (Chanhassen, Minn.) recorded a pair of strikeouts and surrendered one earned run in 2.1 innings out the bullpen, while fellow freshman Lucas Henning (Worthington, Minn.) struck out three and allowed one earned tally in 2.0 innings of relief.
 
Johnson paced the Maverick offense going two-of-three with two RBI and his first triple of the season.
 
Minnesota State is back in action tomorrow afternoon when it takes on the Timberwolves of Northwood (Mich.) at 2:30 p.m. CST.