Box Score ST. CLOUD, Minn.--- The Minnesota State baseball team rallied in the fourth inning and didn't look back as they won game two of the NCAA DII Central Region Tournament, advancing in the winner's bracket.

After the victory, the Mavericks record increases to 36-16 on the year.

Arkansas-Monticello garnered the lead from the first inning up until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Weevil defense made a miscue and the Mavericks were able to establish control.

Arkansas-Monticello jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning capitalizing on two hits and a walk.  The Mavericks struck back in the bottom half of the inning when junior Eric Peterson led off with a no-man's land single that fell between the Weevil's second baseman and center fielder.  Peterson moved to second on a ground out and read an in-the-dirt curve ball advancing to third. The Maverick third baseman tallied Minnesota State's first run as he tagged up on a sacrifice fly to right field from senior Taylor Branstad.

With two outs UAM generated three hits including an RBI double to extend their lead to 4-1.  Minnesota State answered again in the bottom half, cutting the Weevil lead to one run.  Sophomore Luke Waldek strolled down to first base with one out in the inning when fellow sophomore Dylan Dresel put his ninth of the season out over the left-field wall to make it a 4-3 game.

Minnesota State grabbed the lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning when freshman Tory Miller and Peterson led off the inning with a walk and a single down the third-base line.  Sophomore Josh Wenzel then squared around to lay a bunt down and the Weevil pitcher ended up over throwing his first baseman to bring both runners in.  Wenzel later came into score from third on an infield grounder from Waldek, putting the Mavericks up 6-4.

The Mavericks extended their lead with one more in the bottom of the fifth inning when senior Chase Lonetti led off with a walk followed by freshman Jordan Hart's single that moved Lonetti to third.  Lonetti was then plated when sophomore Ryan Moffett grounded into a double play on the right side to make it 7-4.

Arkansas-Monticello pulled within one run of the Mavericks over the course of the sixth and seventh innings producing a run in each frame including a solo-home run in the top of the seventh to make it a final score at 7-6.

Starting pitcher, sophomore Brody Rodning did most of the work for the Maverick pitching staff going 5.1 innings and allowing four (three earned) runs on seven hits while striking out six batters in the win, moving his record to 6-2 on the year.  Senior reliever Dakota Belter picked up his team-leading eighth save of the year throwing the final two innings.

At the plate, Minnesota State was led by Peterson who went 3-5 on the day with two runs scored while Hart went 2-4 on the day and Dresel collected two runs batted in.

The Mavericks continue action at the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn., at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 against the winner of No. 2 seed Central Missouri and No. 6 seed Emporia State.