On Tap: No. 19 Minnesota State baseball continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with matchups against Northern State and Bemidji State this week. The Mavericks start play with a home doubleheader against Northern State at 1:30 p.m., on Tuesday at MSU Baseball Complex, before going on the road to meet Bemidji State for a four-game series in Bemidji, Minn. — with doubleheaders on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon. 
                      
Last Time on the Diamond: The No. 19 Mavericks (28-7, 23-3 NSIC) went 4-2 last week in NSIC play. The Mavericks swept a home doubleheader with Sioux Falls (2-1, 4-0) on Tuesday to start the week. The Mavericks then split a four-game series with St. Cloud State (2-5, 10-3, 5-4, 5-9), on Thursday and Friday.  
 
Leading the NSIC: With a 4-2 week in NSIC play, the Mavericks remain atop the conference with a 23-3 conference record — five games ahead of Augustana in the win column and three games ahead in the loss column.
 
Winning with Pitching: The Maverick pitching staff has been one of the best in NCAA DII — recording a 2.51 ERA, which is the second lowest in the nation. Senior right-hander Mitchell Bauer (5-0) tossed a nine-inning complete-game shutout in the Mavericks' 4-0 win in game two against Sioux Falls on Tuesday and lowered his season ERA to 2.44. Junior right-hander Dalton Roach (6-0), who leads the NSIC with 71 strikeouts and ranks third in NCAA DII with a 0.80 WHIP, tossed a seven-inning complete game in the Mavericks' 2-1 win in game one against Sioux Falls on Tuesday — holding the Cougars to one run on two hits while striking out 11.   
 
Wenzel's Game Winner: Junior outfielder Josh Wenzel, who leads the Mavericks in home runs (9), doubles (8), total bases (77), slugging percentage (.621) and RBI (33), hit a walk-off single in the Maverick's  5-4 win in game one against St. Cloud State on Friday at MSU Baseball Complex. 
 
NSIC Sluggers: The Mavericks lead the NSIC in home runs (40) and slugging percentage (.476) in 2017. Junior outfielder Josh Wenzel paces the team in both home runs (9) and slugging percentage (.621).
 
All-Time Maverick: Senior infielder Eric Peterson scored five runs on the week to increase his career runs scored total to 200 — becoming the first Maverick to score 200 career runs in program history. Peterson also ranks fourth in program history with 52 career stolen bases, sixth in hits (225), eighth in doubles (40), tied for fourth in triples (9), sixth in at-bats (658), and tied for ninth in games played (188).
 
Minnesota State in the Polls: After being ranked No. 21 in the April 4 edition of the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II poll, the Mavericks moved up to No. 19 in the April 11 poll.
 
Scouting Northern State: The Wolves (16-18, 9-13 NSIC) enter the mid-week doubleheader with the Mavericks 11th in the NSIC.
 
The Northern State offense features Lucas Lorenz, who leads the team in runs scored (30), hits (39), triples (4), home runs (10), RBI (41), total bases (89) and slugging percentage (.774). Lorenz is batting .339.
 
On the mound, Luke Chevalier (4-2, 1.88 ERA) leads the Wolves in batting average against (.206) and is tied for the team lead in wins (4).
 
Facing the Wolves: Last season, the Mavericks split a doubleheader with the Wolves in Aberdeen, S.D. — winning the first game 10-3 and losing the second game 3-2.
 
Scouting Bemidji State: The Beavers (12-22, 9-13 NSIC) start the week in 12th place in the NSIC.
 
Scott Litchy is batting .382 with 29 hits, five doubles, one triple, six home runs, a .711 slugging percentage, 11 walks and a .452 on-base percentage for Bemidji State.
 
Toeing the rubber for the Beavers, Connor McNallan (2-4, 3.64 ERA) leads the team with 42 innings pitched.
 
Facing the Beavers: Last season, the Mavericks swept a four-game series with the Beavers (6-3, 11-6, 8-7, 1-0) at MSU Baseball Complex.