MINOT, N.D. -- Minnesota State dropped both games of a doubleheader at Minot State 1-0 and 11-9 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action, Saturday.
For the first time this season, Minnesota State (17-4, 14-3 NSIC) has lost consecutive games with Minot State (12-6, 10-3 NSIC) taking both games by one-run and two-run decisions.
GAME ONE (7 INNINGS) | Minot State 1, Minnesota State 0
Game one's only run went the way of Minot State in the bottom of the fifth inning when outfielder Drew Behling hit a two-out solo home run to put the Beavers up 1-0.
Despite outhitting the Beavers 6-2 in the loss, struggles came from a loss of clutch hitting for the Mavericks. MSU left 10 runners on base while MISU had just one. Both sides were perfect with no errors in game one.
For the Beavers, Noah Myhre, now 2-1 this season, got the start and pitched 5.1 innings of shutout baseball while allowing six hits, walking one and striking out seven others. In relief, Aaron Kern pitched the final two-thirds of the seventh to earn his fourth save of the season.
Senior right-handed pitcher Jon Ludwig (5-1) made his sixth start of the season in Saturday's first game. The Plymouth, Minn., native proved why he was the ace, striking out 11 of 20 Minot State batters he faced over his six-inning outing. Ludwig gave up a pair of hits, including a solo home run while taking his first loss of the season.
GAME TWO (9 INNINGS) | Minot State 11, Minnesota State 9
Game two saw the Mavericks on the board first when catcher Ben Livorsi flew out to leftfield deep enough for Teddy Petersen to score via a sacrifice fly. Before the first inning could finish with the Mavericks on top, the Beavers put up three runs on three hits to take the lead before repeating the process in the bottom of the second with three more hits and runs. After two innings, Minot State was grasping a 6-1 advantage.
In the third Behling struck again for the Beavers with another solo home run, his second of the afternoon, and made it a 7-1 lead for Minot State.
The Mavericks picked it up in the fourth and plated three runs with a spark from freshman third baseman Adam Schneider hitting his second home run of the season to get the rally started. Then, Mikey Gottschalk drove in Mitch Frederick with an RBI single before Jack Waletich scored on a wild pitch moments later. After four frames, Minot State was out in front 7-4.
In the fifth, the Beavers added more insurance runs with three more runs on four hits to make it a 10-4 ballgame. Kaiden Cardoso had the Beavers big hit, a two-RBI double to center that scored Declan Buckle, who had the other RBI, and Kellen Peat.
MSU came within one of the Beavers in the top of the sixth behind a five-run four-hit inning that saw the Mavericks get help from a pair of MISU errors. Livorsi, Nathan Berg and Schneider each had RBI in the sixth. However, in the bottom half, Nolan Monthei increased the deficit to two with a solo home run to make it 11-9 through six innings at Corbett Field
The game ultimately finished as an 11-9 loss for Minnesota State to Minot State, marking the first time that MSU has dropped consecutive decisions during the 2021 season. The Beavers outhit the Mavericks 15-12 in the second game. Both teams had a pair of mishaps in the field for errors.
The starting arm for the Beavers, Dom Parkhurst, now 2-0 this season, went 3.1 innings for Minot State. Parkhurst gave up six hits, four runs (three hits), walked two and struck out five. Earning his first save of the season was RJ Martinez who pitched a shutout ninth inning and struck out one.
The Mavericks starting arm was right-hander Cam Kline, now 2-3 after the loss, who threw two innings in game two. Kline allowed six hits while giving up six runs (five earned). He walked one and struck out another.
Tomorrow's, Mavericks and Beavers rematch has been moved up an hour and will now start at 11 a.m. in Minot, N.D., for the finale to the three-game series due to potential rain forecasted in the area.
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