What's on Tap: Minnesota State will face Minnesota Duluth in a mid-week series at Superior Wisconsin High School on Tuesday. Games will be played at 10:00 a.m., and 12:00 p.m. A weekend series against the University of Mary is currently set to be played in Bismark, N.D. Games will be played at 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m., on Saturday, with 12:00 p.m., start following on Sunday.

Last Time on the Diamond: Minnesota State went 5-1 last week with a mid-week series split against Minnesota Crookston with MSU winning 8-7 in 12 innings then UMC winning 4-3. The Mavericks then swept the weekend series against Bemidji State, winning 10-0, 13-0 and 9-1 in the final two games

Extra Innings: The Mavericks have gone to extra innings three times in the last two weeks. MSU defeated SMSU 2-1 in eight innings in a seven inning game, then lost 10-7 to Minot in 14 innings and won again 8-7 in 12 innings against UMC.

Throwing Up Zeros: The Minnesota State pitching staff limited Bemidji State to two total runs scored in 30 innings of play over the weekend. This lowered the team earned-run average to 3.26 and the Mavericks currently have four pitchers with a sub-3.00 ERA. The offense put up 41 runs in those four games against BSU, averaging over 10 runs per game. 

NSIC Players of the Week: For the second time this season, Minnesota State had a player and a pitcher receive players of the week honors in the same week. Senior outfielder Jordan Hart took home his second player of the week this season and the third of his career. Freshman right-hander Jack Zigan earned his first pitcher of the week honor in his career.

Hart hit .524 on the week with a double, two runs scored, six RBI and two walk-off hits. Zigan threw an eight inning complete game allowing one run on 6 hits with a career high 11 strikeouts and a walk. 

Scouting Minnesota Duluth: The Bulldogs currently sit with a 4-14 record including being 13th in the NSIC with a 2-8 mark. Most recently, UMD was swept by Concordia-St. Paul in a doubleheader 4-2 and 10-8, while finishing the series today beginning at 10:00 a.m. As a team, the Bulldogs are hitting .227, slugging .314 with 32 extra base hits and have an on-base percentage of .339 through 18 games. As a pitching staff, UMD has a 7.62 earned-run average with 95 strikeouts and allowing 92 walks.

Senior catcher Tyler Wojciechowski leads the way offensively by batting .300, with three doubles, a home run and nine RBI. Junior left-hander Rece Dietrich (1-1) has made four starts for the pitching staff and sits with a 2.00 ERA. In 18.0 innings of work, he has 12 strikeouts and five walks.

Facing Minnesota Duluth: MSU leads the all-time series versus UMd with a 47-14 record. The last time the two teams faced off was April 9 last season where the Mavericks swept the doubleheader over the Bulldogs 3-1 and 12-0.

Scouting U-Mary: The Mauraders currently sit with an 8-14 record and are 10th in the NSIC standings at 4-6. U-Mary was swept by Wayne State 5-2 and 7-6 last Wednesday. As a team, the Mauraders are hitting .237 with 41 extra base hits, including 29 doubles. The pitching staff holds a 5.54 ERA with 139 strikeouts and 106 walks.

Senior infielder Darius Barlas leads the team with a .319 batting average with 10 runs, two doubles, six home runs and 18 RBI in 21 games played. Junior right-hander Zac Martin (1-2) has started two games and has pitched 20.0 innings, holding a 2.25 ERA, with 16 strikeouts and nine walks.

Facing U-Mary: MSU leads the all-time series over U-Mary 26-9. Last season, the Mavericks swept the Mauraders 2-0, 6-2, 6-3 and 12-5 on March 29-30.

Up Next: Minnesota State is scheduled to continue NSIC play with a mid-week road series against Northern State on April 10 at 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. The Mavericks will then return to Bowyer Field to face Upper Iowa on April 13-14, with a doubleheaders being played on Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m., both days.