Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MONTICELLO Ark. ---  No. 9 Minnesota State opened the 2016 season with two wins on Friday afternoon at Arkansas-Monticello by scores of 3-2 and 3-1.

Since 1964, Minnesota State now has a record in season openers of 30-23, has now started off the season with two wins 16 times since the '64 season.  Under head coach Matt Magers, MSU is 7-1 in season openers.

Minnesota State got their momentum started in the bottom of the second inning as starting pitcher, sophomore Dalton Roach dealt three-straight strikeouts to the Weevils five, six and seven hitters. Minnesota State go on the board first in the fourth inning when sophomore Luke Waldek hit a one-out single through the right side of the infield, and advancing on a wild pitch.  Senior Hunter Harnisch belted a single up the middle with two outs to bring in Waldek from second, collecting one of his two RBI in the game.

The Weevils struck back in the sixth inning when Cory Wood led the frame off with a homerun off of Maverick relief-pitcher, junior Josh Matheson, tying the game at 1-1.  Matheson would settle down afterwards, not giving up a run for the next three innings, eventually recording his fourth-career victory.  In the top of the ninth, it was Waldek again who got things going for the Maverick offense, leading off the inning with a double to left.  Harnisch collected his second RBI when he tagged a one-out single to left, scoring Waldek from second base.  A couple of singles from freshman Jordan Hart and senior Kyle Toth brought in Harnisch to give the Mavericks a two run cushion.  In the bottom of the ninth it would be junior Dakota Belter collecting his first save of the season, giving up one run for a final on the scoreboard of 3-2.

The Mavericks out hit the Weevils in game one by a margin of 9-4, committing two errors to the Weevils zero. Roach struck out a total of five batters on the day while giving up one hit.

Minnesota State picked up right from where they left off, scoring one run in the top of the first and third innings. Senior Taylor Branstad started the offense with a two-out triple and scoring on a pass ball in the first. In the third, Branstad scored again, this time from second base as sophomore Josh Wenzel hit the left-center gap for a double.  The Weevils cut the lead to one in the bottom of the third when Evan Comeau knocked a double off of Maverick starting pitcher, sophomore Brody Rodning. Comeau would advance to third off of a Kevin Fitzpatrick single to right field, and then finally scoring UAM's first run of the game after tagging-up on Travis Steinke's fly out to center field.  The Mavericks capped of the games scoring in the fifth inning when junior Eric Peterson led the inning off with a single to left and then moving over to second after a Branstad single up the middle.  Petersen eventually reached home on a Weevils fielding error, solidifying the Mavericks second win of the day.

Rodning threw a complete game allowing one run on five hits and striking out 11.

The Mavericks will be back in action tomorrow at noon to finish out the three-game series with Arkansas-Monticello at Weevils Field.