Crookston, Minn. --- Minnesota State baseball increased its season-long winning streak to 14 games with a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader sweep of Bemidji State at the UMC Baseball Field on Monday. Minnesota State won the first game 5-1 and the second game 8-4.
Minnesota State improved to 24-7 (19-3 NSIC) and Bemidji State fell to 4-23 (2-11 NSIC).
GAME 1 – Minnesota State 5, Bemidji State 1
Quinn Ahern pitched six innings of one-run baseball as Minnesota State won game one, 5-1.
Ahern (4-0), a senior right-hander, limited the Beavers to one unearned run on five hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked one in an 81-pitch effort.
The Mavericks briefly trailed after the Beavers scored in the top of the third inning, but the Mavericks responded with two runs in the bottom of the third, two in in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Senior center fielder Josh Wenzel tied the game with his first home run of the season — a shot to right-center field — in the third inning. Freshman designated hitter Carter Elliott drove in the second run of the inning on a single up the middle.
In the fourth inning, sophomore first baseman Ty Buck drove in two runs on a single up the middle.
The Mavericks' final run scored on a single through the left side, off the bat of junior right fielder Tyler Berg.
Wenzel, Buck, Elliott and Berg paced the Mavericks in hits with two each. Wenzel also scored two runs.
Alec Meyer (1-4) was the pitcher of record on the short end, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings. Meyer, who walked three and struck out one, threw 86 pitches.
The Mavericks held an 11-5 edge in hits.
GAME 2 – Minnesota State 8, Bemidji State 4
Josh Wenzel went 4-of-4 at the plate and drove in four runs as the Mavericks won game two, 8-4.
Minnesota State scored two runs in the first, second and fourth innings, followed by single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Wenzel, a senior center fielder, had three singles and a double, while driving in four runs and scoring one. He hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning, a two-run double into shallow center field in the fourth inning, and an RBI single that landed down the line in right field in the sixth innings. Wenzel also tallied a stolen base.
Sophomore second baseman Teddy Petersen and junior left fielder Tyler Berg also had productive games at the dish. Petersen went 2-of-3 with a double and three RBI. Petersen's double drove in two runs in the first inning to give the Mavericks a lead they would not relinquish. Berg went 3-of-3 with a double an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Redshirt freshman Trevor Divinski (4-0) earned the win after holding the Beavers to three runs on four hits over five innings pitched. Divinski walked three and struck out 10 batters in a 95-pitch performance.
Jake Olson (1-3) was charged with the loss — allowing seven runs (all earned) on 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings. Olson struck out three and walked one.
The Mavericks continue NSIC Play on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Northern State in Aberdeen S.D. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Watch Josh Wenzel's postgame interview below.
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