MANKATO, Minn. -- Minnesota State swept another Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader when they took two games from Northern State in 4-2 and 9-1 games, Tuesday.
Senior outfielder Joey Werner had another big game for the Mavericks offensively. The Hastings, Minn., native went 3-for-5 with a home run and five-RBI afternoon.
GAME ONE (7 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 4, Northern State 2
Scoring for game one started in the top of the third when a bases-loaded walk brought Karson Hesser into score Northern State's first runs of the afternoon. Maverick pitcher Collin Denk escaped a bases-loaded jam with no one out and allowed just one run to hold the game at 1-0 NSU.
MSU infielder Carter Elliot had a one-out double to right field in the fourth to tie the game at one by scoring Adam Schneider. Senior outfielder Ty Denzer put MSU up one with a two-out base hit through the left side that scored Elliot and gave the Mavericks a 2-1 lead.
Werner hit his team-high sixth home run of the season over the left field fence to add to the Maverick lead, 3-1, in the bottom of the fifth. The Mavericks extended their lead with Nick Altermatt's one-out RBI single through the left side that scored Cam Kline and made it a 4-1 game.
In the top of the sixth, Spencer Sarringar had an RBI single to left field that cut the Mavericks lead to 4-2. Werner ended the inning and the Wolves rally with a throw from right field to Maverick catcher Mikey Fredrickson, who was guarding the plate to stop NSU from scoring its third run. The score remained 4-2 MSU through six frames.
That's where it would ultimately stand as Minnesota State won its 11th straight game 4-2 over Northern State and moved to a perfect 9-0 in the NSIC. The hits department saw MSU outhit NSU 7-5. Both sides had one error in game one of the doubleheader.
Denk, now 3-0, pitched a complete game going seven innings, allowing five hits, two runs while walking one and striking out 10 against 30 Northern State batters.
For the Wolves, Brian Baker (0-1) got the start and went three and a third innings, allowing two unearned runs off of three hits, two walks and three strikeouts.
GAME TWO (9 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 9, Northern State 1
Northern State opened the scoring again in the second game with one run in the bottom of the first via a Maverick throwing error.
In the bottom of the second inning, Hunter Ranweiler scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, 1-1.
The Mavericks then scored three runs on two hit batters and a walk with the bases loaded to make it a 4-1 game in the third inning.
Ranweiler then scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Werner in the bottom of the fifth inning that made it a 5-1 game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Ross Indlecoffer scored on and a wild pitch and led to the start of a big inning for the MSU. A two-out base knock up the middle from Fredrickson then scored Ranweiler. The two-out rally continued with Werner delivering a single through the right side that scored Fredrickson and Petersen to put the Mavericks up 9-1.
Behind a 9-1 win, MSU moved its winning streak to 12 games and remained undefeated at a 10-0 mark in NSIC action this season. The Mavericks outhit the Wolves 11-4 while both sides had two errors in the field.
Junior right-hander Brendan Knoll, who made his first start and now stands 2-0, went five innings, allowing four hits, one unearned run, walked four and striking out four against 23 Northern State batters.
For the Wolves, Taite Hensley (0-1) got the start and went two and two-thirds innings allowing three unearned runs off of five hits, three walks and one strikeout.
Next up, Minnesota State travels to St. Cloud State for a pair of games on Friday at 1:30 p.m. before the final game on Saturday at noon.
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