Emporia, Kan. --- Seventh-rated Minnesota State began the 2017 NCAA Division II Central Region Baseball Tournament with a 4-0 win over Central Oklahoma Thursday afternoon.

The Mavericks, the 2017 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season and postseason tournament champions, got a stellar performance from junior righthanded pitcher Dalton Roach in the win with the Eau Claire, Wis., native scattering three hits for the complete-game, nine-inning victory. Roach, a 2017 All-NSIC First Team selection who upped his record for the season to 10-1 with today's decision, fanned seven UCO batters and walked two batters.

The Mavericks outhit the Bronchos by an 11-3 margin in the contest in extending their winning streak to six games.

Minnesota State scored its first run in the game in bottom of the first inning on a lead-off single from senior third baseman Eric Peterson and a one-out double by junior first baseman Dylan Dresel.  The Mavericks added another run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from junior shortstop Luke Waldek. Sophomore rightfielder Jordan Hart rounded out the scoring when he hit a two-run homer over the fence in left field for his 11th round-tripper of the year in the bottom of the eighth.

Peterson, a 2017 All-NSIC First Team selection who has established a school record for career runs scored, went three-for-four in the contest. Dresel was two-for-four in the game with a pair of doubles and Hart finished with a two-for-four performance at the plate.

The Mavericks (45-9) play again tomorrow (Friday) at the eight-team double-elimination tournament against the winner of the game between St. Cloud State and Missouri Western.

View the postgame interview with head coach Matt Magers and Dalton Roach below.