What's on Tap: Minnesota State baseball continues Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with a doubleheader at Northern State on Thursday at Fossum Field in Aberdeen, S.D., and a four-game home series at St. Cloud State on Saturday and Sunday at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minn. Thursday's doubleheader with Northern State, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, begins at 1:30 p.m. Minnesota State's doubleheaders with St. Cloud State on Saturday and Sunday are slated for 1:30 p.m., and 12:00 p.m., respectively.
 
Last Time on the Diamond: The Mavericks (24-7, 19-3 NSIC) went 4-0 in NSIC play last week to extend their season-long winning streak to 14 games. The Mavericks swept a doubleheader at Sioux Falls (3-1, 6-0) on Thursday in Sioux Falls, S.D.,  and a neutral-site twin bill against Bemidji State (5-1, 8-4) on Monday in Crookston, Minn.
 
Winning Streak: Minnesota State has been playing its best baseball of the season during its current 14-game winning streak. During the streak, the pitching staff has garnered a 2.06 ERA, five complete games, three shutouts, 112 strikeouts, 29 walks, a 3.86:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a .209 batting average against over 105 innings. The offense has also been performing at a high level — batting .325 with a .404 on-base percentage, .455 slugging percentage, 135 hits, 53 walks, 29 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 14 stolen bases and 103 runs scored.
 
Over the winning streak, the Mavericks' starting pitching has led the way. Senior right-hander Quinn Ahern is 3-0 with a 0.45 ERA with 17 strikeouts, one walk and a .159 batting average against over 20 innings pitched during the win streak. Senior left-hander Aaron Rozek has pitched to a 3-0 record with a 0.82 ERA, 21 strikeouts, nine walks and a .155 batting average against over 22 innings. Redshirt freshman right-hander Trevor Divinski is 3-0 with a 2.12 ERA, 22 strikeouts, six walks and a .238 batting average against over 17 innings. Senior right-hander Dalton Roach has pitched to a 3-0 record with a 3.15 ERA, 21 strikeouts, four walks and a .273 batting average against in 20 innings during the streak.
 
Seven Mavericks are hitting over .300 during the winning streak: sophomore infielder Teddy Petersen (.438), sophomore infielder Ty Buck (.417), junior outfielder Tyler Berg (.400), senior center fielder Josh Wenzel (.396), sophomore infielder Tory Miller (.346), junior utility player Tom Imholte (.344) and senior catcher Noah Bluth (.314). Petersen, Wenzel and Buck have led the way in RBI over the streak with 15, 14 and 12, respectively. 
 
Ranking the Winning Streak:  Minnesota State's 14-game winning streak ranks seventh in program history. The six-longest winning streaks in program history are: 27 games (2011), 23 games (2015), 19 games (2007), 19 games (1970), 17 games (2017) and 17 games (2014).  

Record Watch: Senior right-hander Dalton Roach (7-0) has a 29-5 record in his collegiate career. He enters the week tied with Jason Hoppe (2011-14) for the most career wins in program history. Roach also ranks third in program history in innings pitched (255 2/3).
 
NSIC Pitcher of the Week: Senior left-hander Aaron Rozek (5-1) is the reigning NSIC Pitcher of the Week. He picked up the win in the Mavericks' 6-0 victory in game two at Sioux Falls on Thursday. He went eight innings with a 0.00 ERA, a 0.75 WHIP, seven strikeouts, four walks, two hits and a .083 batting average against. In addition, Rozek did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, lowered his season ERA from 1.58 to 1.31, pitched at least seven innings for sixth consecutive start and won his third-straight start. It is the second time this season that Rozek has been named NSIC Pitcher of the Week.
 
NCAA Rankings: The Mavericks rank in the top 10 of NCAA Division II in five pitching statistics: strikeout-to-walk ratio (1st, 4.56:1), walks allowed per nine innings (1st, 2.27), WHIP (2nd, 1.12), shutouts (T-8th, 6) and ERA (6th, 3.04). Minnesota State also ranks 11th in hits allowed per nine innings (7.83). Senior right-hander Quinn Ahern (4-1) ranks eighth in NCAA Division II in WHIP (0.83), 14th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.80:1), and 11th in walks allowed per nine innings (1.07). Senior left-hander Aaron Rozek (5-1) is ranked 10th in NCAA Division II in ERA (1.31).
 
Scouting Northern State: The Wolves (9-12, 2-8 NSIC) lost their last two games. They were swept in a neutral-site doubleheader by Minot State on April 11. The scores of the games were 6-2 and 8-2. Northern State is batting .269 as a team with 118 runs scored on the season. Their pitching staff has a 6.53 ERA, 132 strikeouts, 80 walks and a .304 batting average against in 161 1/3 innings.
 
Last season, the Mavericks swept a home doubleheader with the Wolves (5-1, 13-1).

Scouting St. Cloud State: The Huskies (19-10, 12-5 NSIC) last split a neutral-site doubleheader against Minnesota Duluth on April 11 — losing the first game 4-2 and winning the second game 6-5.
 
St. Cloud State's pitching staff has garnered a 3.80 ERA with 203 strikeouts, 79 walks and a .265 batting average against. The Huskies' offense is batting .307 with 15 home runs and 193 runs scored.

Last season, the Mavericks went 4-3 against the Huskies. During the regular season, the Mavericks split a four-game series with the Huskies (2-5, 10-3, 5-4, 5-9). The Mavericks defeated the Huskies twice in the NSIC Tournament (6-3, 4-2), before losing the final meeting of the year 9-4 in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament.

Up Next: Minnesota State continues NSIC play with a four-game series against Augustana on April 28-29 at Bowyer Field.