MANKATO, Minn. -- Minnesota State wrapped up its weekend series against the University of Mary with 2-1 and 5-1 victories to sweep the three-game series, advance its win streak to 10 games and remain undefeated in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action, Sunday at Bowyer Field.
In game one, senior infielder Teddy Petersen had the big seventh-inning walkoff hit, a bloop single to shallow rightfield that scored Jack Waletich and made it a 2-1 final. In game two, sophomore Jack Friedges hit his first career home run, an eighth-inning grand slam that helped the Mavericks reclaim the lead, 5-1.
GAME ONE (7 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 2, University of Mary 1
The Mavericks scored game one's first run in the second inning when Waletich laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Nick Altermatt from third and give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
The Marauders tied the game in the top half of the seventh when Calvin James hit a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 1-1.
Then, Petersen secured the Mavericks' ninth consecutive win in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh inning when he hit a bloop single to right and Waletich scored the game-winning run as MSU took the first game 2-1.
The Mavericks outhit the Marauders 5-2 and both sides had one miscue in the field in the form of one error.
Junior right-hander Cam Kline pitched six innings of no-hit baseball before working through the conclusion of game one in the seventh inning. He allowed two hits and a one run in the final frame and struck 13 of 24 UM batters faced to improve to a 2-1 record on the 2021 campaign.
For the Marauders, relief pitcher Paxton Miller (0-1) got the loss in the seventh. After going a third of an inning, Miller surrendered two hits and the game-winning run while giving up a walk. UM's starting arm, Austin Wagner had a no-decision in the contest while allowing a run and three hits, striking out four and walking one.
GAME TWO (9 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 5, University of Mary 1
Petersen opened scoring the bottom of the first frame as the Mavericks' leadoff hitter when he pulled a solo home run to left-center field, his fourth of the season, to make it 1-0 MSU.
After UM tied the game on an eighth-inning wild pitch, Jack Friedges hit his first career home run, a grand slam to left center, to put MSU up 5-1. Senior right-handed reliever Hunter Even came back out for the ninth in line for the win and shut the door to secure MSU's 10th straight win, moving to 8-0 in conference play.
MSU and UM tied in the hits battle at six a side while the Mavericks had the lone error on defense.
On the hill for the Mavericks, Altermatt, who is now 2-0, pitched seven innings of shutout baseball while allowing five hits. The Maverick right-handed sophomore walked one and struck out seven opposing batters. In the eighth, Nathan Culley pitched a tenth of an inning before Even came in and got the win after MSU's four-run blast by Friedges in the bottom half. Even struck out two UM batters while holding them score and hitless in 1.2 innings of relief.
Marauders' starting pitcher Ty Jones ended game two with a no decision after he went five complete innings and allowed a run. Jones gave up three hits while walking one and striking out five others. Mitch Oehme (0-2) got the loss after allowing two runners on before UM's Jayden Smith gave up the Mavericks' game-winning grand slam in the eighth.
Next up, Minnesota State plays host Northern State at Bowyer Field on Tuesday for a 1:30 p.m. start to a 7/9-inning doubleheader.
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