Box Score MONTICELLO Ark. ---  No. 9 Minnesota State won its third game of the season, in extra innings, taking the three-game sweep over Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday afternoon by way of 12-11.

Minnesota State is now 4-1 all-time against UAM.

After Arkansas-Monticello took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Minnesota State tallied three runs in the second and third innings to gain a 3-1 lead over the Weevils.  In the top of the second, sophomore Dylan Dresel lead off with a walk with senior Hunter Harnisch following with a two-out double to left field, scoring Dresel from first. In the third inning, senior Taylor Branstad took advantage of a two-out walk with Dresel and sophomore Josh Wenzel notching two consecutive singles to take a 2-1 lead. Dresel moved to third on Wenzel's hit and then scored on a wild pitch when Wenzel stole second base.  

The Weevils claimed the lead back in the bottom of the inning, producing six runs (four unearned), including a two-run homerun off of Maverick starting pitcher Mitchell Bauer. Bauer would finish his outing with 2.2 innings pitched, giving up two earned runs with one strikeout and one walk.  Senior Peter Gaustad would finish up the pitching duties in the third with the Weevils up 7-3.

The Mavericks tacked on four more runs in the fifth and sixth innings, to UAM's two runs in that stretch to cut the Weevils lead to 9-7.

Minnesota State regained the lead in the top of the eighth inning with four more runs putting the Mavericks up 11-9, but the Weevils would not go down without a fight.  In the bottom of the ninth with reliever Josh Matheson on the mound for the Maverick, Marshall McPherson blasted a homer to right field to tie the game at 11 runs apiece.  Neither team struck in the final regulation inning, forcing extra baseball.

In the top of the 10th inning, Branstad would add to his already spectacle day with a blast to right field that left the ball park, eventually proving to be the game-winning marker.

The Mavericks pitching staff gave up five earned runs on the day, striking out six batters while giving up 17 hits and six walks to the Weevils.  Senior closer Dakota Belter collected the win after his 2.1 innings of work on the hill. 

Branstad ended the day 3-4 with a homerun, four runs scored, two RBI, and two walks while Dresel and Wenzel produced two hits apiece and Wenzel producing three RBI as well.

The Mavericks will return to action on March 3rd, when they travel to Daytona Beach, Fla., for their spring trip.  Minnesota State will play a total of 10 games in eight days between March 3-10.