FAYETTE, Iowa -- Ranked 25th in this week's NCBWA Division II Poll, Minnesota State (20-4, 17-3 NSIC) swept a doubleheader at Upper Iowa (11-13, 9-10 NSIC) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action, Saturday.
The Mavericks upended the Peacocks 2-1 in 10 innings during game one, which was scheduled to be a seven-inning contest. As a result, game two was converted to the seven-inning game for Saturday where the Mavericks came out on top, 8-0.
GAME ONE (10 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 2, Upper Iowa 1
For the Peacocks, a wild pitch got UIU on the board first in the bottom of the fourth allowing Jake Hilmer to score from third. After four frames, the Peacocks had grasp on the afternoon's first lead at 1-0.
The Mavericks wasted no time tying the game, however. In the top of the fifth, Mavericks' senior outfielder Joey Werner hit into a fielder's choice, but it was good enough to score Jack Friedges. After five innings, the Mavericks and Peacocks were tied 1-1.
It took five more innings and some free baseball to break the one-run tie, but Werner eventually struck again for MSU in the 10th. His double to right center in the 10th inning scored Jack Waletich and made it a 2-1 game. In the bottom half, senior right-handed pitcher Hunter Even came in from the pen and earned his seventh save of the season as the Mavericks ultimately held on to win 2-1.
Despite winning game one, the Mavericks were outhit by the Peacocks 6-5. Neither side had an error in the first game.
Senior right-handed pitcher Jon Ludwig made his seventh start of the season in Saturday's first game. The Plymouth, Minn., native struck out nine of the 25 UIU batters he faced while allowing four hits and one unearned run. Ludwig never surrendered a walk in the seven-inning no decision. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jack Zigan (2-0) got the win in relief of Ludwig after he pitched the eighth and ninth innings. Zigan allowed one hit during the shutout outing. He struck out five of the eight UIU batters he faced. Then, Even came in for the ninth and earned his team-high seventh save of the season. Even walked one and struck out another.
For the Peacocks, Chris Webber (1-1) got the loss after allowing the Mavericks to break the tie in the 10th inning. Overall, Webber pitched four complete innings, allowing two hits, one run, walking one and striking out four. The Peacocks starting pitcher was Duncan Snider who pitched six innings, gave up three hits, a run, walked four and struck out seven.
GAME TWO (7 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 8, Upper Iowa 0
The Mavericks hit the ground running in game two when freshman infielder Adam Schneider hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, just three batters into the opening inning. Then, MSU built off his big hit to right field with junior catcher Ben Livorsi hitting a sacrifice fly to center that was deep enough to score Ty Denzer from third and make it a 3-0 game. The Mavericks scored their final pair of runs in the first when a UIU fielding error led to a pair of MSU unearned runs that made it a 5-0 game in the first inning.
In the fourth inning, Denzer grounded out allowing Werner to score and make it a 6-0 game.
The fifth inning saw the Mavericks move out to an 7-0 lead when junior Cam Kline hit his second home run of the season to move the MSU lead to 7-0. Then in the sixth, Kline struck again in the clutch with a sacrifice fly to center that made it 8-0 as Hunter Ranweiler scored.
The game ultimately finished as an 8-0 win in seven innings for MSU. The hits battle finished in favor of MSU, 9-3. However, MSU also finished the game with more errors than UIU, 2-1.
Collin Denk, now 5-0 this season, was the Mavericks' starting arm for game two. Denk posted a complete-game shutout, pitching seven scoreless innings while striking out six and allowing only three hits.
Peacocks' starting arm Jarrett Ramer (2-5) pitched a pair of innings, surrendering five runs (four earned) while allowing four hits, walking two and striking out one.
The Mavericks and Peacocks rematch tomorrow for one last nine-inning conference matchup at noon before competing in a seven-inning nonconference contest as a follow up to game one.
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