Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MANKATO, Minn. --- Third-ranked Minnesota State used a three-run sixth inning to claim game one, 3-1, before trouncing No. 22 St. Cloud State, 12-2, in the second contest to extend its season-high winning streak to 13 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference sweep Wednesday afternoon at the MSU Baseball Complex.
 
The Mavericks now stand 36-7 overall and maintain first place in the conference with a 24-4 ledger, while the Huskies fell to 28-9 on the season and 17-6 in league play.
 
Game one was scoreless through three frames until SCSU jumped in front, 1-0, with an unearned run that scored on a groundout to second by senior Zach Hoffmann in the top of the fourth.
 
Minnesota State responded with four consecutive hits in the bottom of the sixth inning to claim a 3-1 lead which proved to be the final. After a double to right-center by junior Max Waletich, junior Nolan Johnson tagged a RBI triple to right-center that senior Stetson Olson followed with a RBI triple of his own to right-center. Junior Connor McCallum capped the inning with a RBI single up the middle.
 
Senior righthander Jason Hoppe twirled his fifth complete game of the year and improved to 9-1 by striking out five and allowing zero earned runs and three hits over seven innings.
 
MSU plated the first run of game two in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI triple by Johnson to left field. The Huskies answered on a RBI single by Hoffman in their half of the second, but the Mavericks retaliated right back on a sacrifice fly from senior Mike Andries to take a 2-1 edge.
 
Johnson extended the MSU cushion to three runs on a two-run home run from Johnson, his fifth of the year, an inning later. The Mavericks added two additional tallies on a solo shot to right field by McCallum and a RBI single from senior Parker Sullivan to claim a 6-1 lead after six innings.
 
From there on, Minnesota State scored six runs compared to SCSU's one over the seventh and eighth innings en route to the 12-2 victory. Two unearned runs and another pair on a two-run double down the right field line by Andries gave MSU four runs in the seventh, before a RBI single from senior Todd Standish and bases loaded walk to Olson capped the walk-off win.
 
Senior righthander Bryce Bellin scattered five hits, two walks and an earned run with a pair of strikeouts over seven innings to improve to 3-1 on the year.
 
Minnesota State will enjoy a weekend off before completing the regular season with six games next week beginning with a doubleheader at Concordia-St. Paul on Wednesday, April 30.