AUBURNDALE, Fla. ---  Fourth-rated Minnesota State produced a couple of comeback victories over No. 16 Grand Valley State to sweep the Lakers at the RussMatt Invitational in Auburndale, Fla., on Thursday. MSU took game one of the doubleheader, 5-7, before taking game two, 13-10.

The Mavericks improve to 2-0 with the wins while the Lakers drop to 3-2 on the young season.

The Mavericks did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard in its season opener. In the bottom of the first with one out, junior Kyle Toth hit a double to right center field to bring up senior Max Waletich. Waletich reached on a throwing error which also allowed Toth to score all the way from second base to give MSU a 1-0 lead.

Grand Valley evened up the score in the top of the third, but MSU responded in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs coming with two outs. Seniors Nolan Johnson and Connor McCallum hit back-to-back singles and a throwing error by the shortstop allowed Johnson to score from second and McCallum to reach third base. Junior Taylor Branstad came up with a single through the middle to score McCallum putting the Mavericks up 3-1 through three innings. In the bottom of the sixth, after a leadoff single from Branstad, sophomore Eric Peterson hit a triple to center to put MSU up 4-2 heading into the final inning of play.

In the final inning of play GVSU came up with three runs to take a 5-4 lead. A leadoff walk brought up Mitchell Kozlowski who hit an RBI double. Later Mike Nadratowski homered to steal the lead way from MSU. The Mavericks did not give up and after a leadoff double from Waletich and walk from McCallum, Branstad came up to the plate with two outs. With a 1-1 count, he got a hold of one and hit a three-run walk-off home run to left center-field giving MSU its first win of the season.

Branstad went 3-4 with four RBI and two runs scored while senior Kevin Kramer went 2-3 in the win.

Senior Joey Reed pitched the first five innings giving up six hits and two earned runs with four strikeouts. Senior Nick Veale came in for one inning of work striking out one batter and giving up one earned run. Sophomore Tyler Frohwirth picked up the win despite giving up two earned runs in one inning of work.

In game two the Mavericks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second off a sacrifice fly from Branstad scoring Johnson who led the inning off with a double. In the bottom of the third, Waletich plated both Peterson and Kramer with a single to right field. In the bottom half of the inning the Lakers tied up the score at three off a home run by Kevin Zak.

MSU regained the lead with a four-run fifth inning with sacrifice flies by Waletich and Johnson as well as a RBI double by redshirt freshman Josh Wenzel. GVSU took the lead in the bottom of fifth after scoring six runs on four hits.

Just when the game seemed out of reach and down to its final out, the Mavericks offense kicked in gear again. Toth hit a double with one out and advanced to third base when Waletich grounded out for the second out of the inning. Johnson came up next and reached on a throwing error by the Lakers' shortstop scoring Toth. Redshirt freshman Josh Crosby came in to pinch hit and singled to put runners on first and third. Branstad tied the score at nine with a single to center field. Another Laker error plated a run for MSU and Peterson capped off the inning with a two-RBI single through the left side. Junior Dakota Belter gave up one run in the bottom of the seventh but it wasn't enough as the Mavericks won by a final of 13-10.

Redshirt freshman Aaron Rozek started the game and allowed five hits, three runs and struck out four over four innings. Freshman Christian Howell stuck out one and walked one in one and one third innings to pick up the win.

The Mavericks will be back in action tomorrow afternoon against Drury University in Auburndale, Fla. The first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. CST.