Sioux Falls, S.D. --- For the second consecutive day, No. 11 Minnesota State baseball split a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at Augustana, ending the 2017 regular season.
Minnesota State (40-9, 35-5 NSIC) lost to Augustana (35-20, 29-11 NSIC) 6-5 in a scheduled seven-inning contest in game one, before winning the second game 8-3. The two teams split their four-game series.
It marks the ninth time the Mavericks have eclipsed the 40-win plateau in a season (the seventh time under head coach Matt Magers).
Senior third baseman Eric Peterson moved into second place in program history for career at-bats with 704. Peterson also moved into sole possession of fifth place in program history with 202-career games played.
GAME 1 – Augustana 6, No. 11 Minnesota State 5
With the game tied 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth and Augustana runners on first and third with one out, the Augustana batter executed a squeeze play to score the decisive run and send the Mavericks to a 6-5 loss in game one.
The teams traded the lead over the first three innings. The Mavericks scored three runs in the top of the first to go up 3-0, but the Vikings answered with two runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to put the Mavericks in a 5-3 hole. Minnesota State responded with two runs in the top of the second to tie the game at five. The game remained knotted at five until Augustana's squeeze play in the sixth scored the eventual game-winning run.
Junior center fielder Josh Wenzel, senior third baseman Eric Peterson and sophomore right fielder Jordan Hart had two hits apiece. Wenzel drove in three runs and junior first baseman Dylan Dresel hit his team-leading 11th homer of the season.
Junior southpaw Brody Rodning (6-3) struggled early – allowing five runs in the first two innings – before settling down. He was charged with the loss after allowing six earned runs on eight hits, while striking out eight and walking two, in a six-inning complete game effort.
Tyler Vaughn (5-1), who tossed four scoreless innings in relief for Augustana, picked up the win. Ryan Hamilton received a no-decision after allowing five earned runs on six hits over three innings.
GAME 2 – No. 11 Minnesota State 8, Augustana 3.
Trailing 3-2, the Mavericks scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth to complete an 8-3 comeback victory in game two.
Senior third baseman Eric Peterson and junior first baseman Dylan Dresel each tallied three hits and two RBI. Freshman second baseman Teddy Petersen, junior shortstop Luke Waldek, and Dresel each scored two runs. Junior center fielder Josh Wenzel garnered a solo homer – his 10th of the season.
Junior right-hander Ricky Digrugilliers (6-0), pitched five scoreless innings in relief to earn the victory – limiting the Vikings to four hits, while striking out two and walking none. He lowered his season ERA to 1.59.
Junior right-hander NIck Belzer started for the Mavericks, allowing three runs (all earned) on six hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Ben Moran (1-2), one-of-five Viking pitchers to appear in the game, was charged with the loss – surrendering the decisive run (an unearned run) on three hits. He struck out two and walked one. Lincoln Voss, who threw the first 4 1/3 innings and surrendered three earned runs on six hits – struck out five and walked three – did not factor into the decision.
The Mavericks will enter next weeks' 2017 NSIC Baseball Tournament as the top-seeded team. The bracket and game times have yet to be announced for the tournament, which is set to be held in St. Cloud, Minn.
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