Mankato, Minn. --- No. 19 Minnesota State baseball split a home Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader against St. Cloud State on Thursday at MSU Baseball Complex.
Minnesota State (27-6, 22-2 NSIC) lost the first game 5-2 to St. Cloud State (26-10, 17-7 NSIC) before rebounding to win the second game 10-3.
GAME 1 – St. Cloud State 5, No. 19 Minnesota State 2
The Minnesota State offense was held to four hits in its 5-2 loss to St. Cloud State in game one.
After the Huskies scored single runs in the first and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead, the Mavericks cut the lead in half with an RBI single off the bat of senior designated hitter Hunter Walsh – scoring sophomore right fielder Jordan Hart.
The Huskies increased their lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Mavericks pulled within one in the bottom of the sixth when junior Josh Wenzel hit his ninth home run of the season – cutting St. Cloud State's lead to 3-2.
However, the Mavericks were unable to get any closer and the Huskies tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh to make the final score 5-2 in favor of St. Cloud State.
Junior southpaw Brody Rodning (4-2) was the pitcher of record on the short end – allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Dominic Austing (5-2) earned the win for St. Cloud State – tossing a seven-inning complete game. Austing allowed two runs – both earned – on four hits, while striking out nine and walking one.
GAME 2 – No.19 Minnesota State 10, St. Cloud State 3
Junior right-hander NIck Belzer held the Huskies to three runs over seven innings and sophomore right fielder Jordan Hart hit two home runs, including a grand slam, to propel the Mavericks to a 10-3 win in game two.
Belzer (4-0) started on the mound for the Mavericks and pitched seven innings for the second time this season – limiting the Huskies to three earned runs on six hits. He struck out seven and walked two. All three runs against Belzer came in the first inning before he settled down to pitch six consecutive scoreless frames to finish his outing.
Hart's first home run – a grand slam in the bottom of the first – proved to be the difference in the game as that one swing turned a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead for the Mavericks, who would not trail again.
In the bottom of the second with the Mavericks leading 5-3, Hart blasted his second homer of the game – over the right-field fence – to put the Mavericks up 6-3.
The Mavericks added on one more run in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by junior center fielder Josh Wenzel – scoring senior third baseman Eric Peterson. Peterson later came to bat in the eighth inning and launched a three-run homer down the left-field line that made the final score 10-3.
Aaron Hammann (2-2), who started on the rubber for St. Cloud State, lasted 2/3 of an inning and allowed five runs, four earned, on two hits and two walks, and he hit two batters with pitches. Hammann did not record a strikeout.
The Mavericks and Huskies return to the diamond for a doubleheader at 11 a.m., on Friday at MSU Baseball Complex.
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