MANKATO, Minn. -- Rated in a tie for 11th in last week's NCBWA Division II Poll, Minnesota State (29-6, 25-5 NSIC) shutout Sioux Falls (19-17, 14-17 NSIC) in a 2-0 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest, Wednesday at Bowyer Field.

MSU and USF played the first of two games scheduled as part of Wednesday's doubleheader before rain pushed game two back to Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

A pair of Cougar throwing errors and a balk led the Mavericks to a two-run sixth inning that allowed Minnesota State to come out with its 29th win of the season. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Nick Altermatt was a force on the mound for the Mavericks. He pitched a one-hit complete-game shutout, walked two and struck out 10 USF batters.

In the sixth inning, Maverick senior outfielder Joey Werner laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Jack Waletich and Teddy Petersen into scoring position. Then, Werner reached safely on the bunt, Waletich scored (unearned) and Petersen advanced to third as a result of an errant throw by the USF third baseman. Petersen scored (unearned) in the next at bat on a balk. MSU held on to win 2-0 in the seventh inning when Altermatt finished what he started.

The Mavericks and Cougars finished tied in hits, 1-1. USF had the game's only pair of errors which came in the sixth and led MSU to its pair of runs.

Altermatt, now 4-1 this season, got the win as the Mavericks' only arm to work on the hill as part of a one-hit shutout, Wednesday.

Cougars' right-handed pitcher Cole Schumacher (1-3) threw six complete innings and allowed one hit and two unearned runs en route to his third loss of the season. Schumacher walked three and struck out one.

The Mavericks and Cougars will conclude the series tomorrow when they play one nine-inning game at Bowyer Field with the first pitch set for 1:30 p.m.

-30-