WINONA, Minn. -- Rated 15th in this week's NCBWA Division II Poll, Minnesota State (31-7, 27-6 NSIC) split a doubleheader with a 3-1 loss and 5-1 win against Winona State (22-17, 19-15 NSIC) to start off a three-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference weekend series, Friday.
Junior right-handed pitcher Brendan Knoll supplied extremely efficient pitching for MSU's game-two win over the Warriors has he led the Mavericks with a one-run complete game. With the bat, senior Ross Indlecoffer supplied the big hits with a three-run home run and sacrifice fly for a four-RBI performance in game two.
GAME ONE (7 INNINGS) | Winona State 3, Minnesota State 1
The Mavericks had the game's first lead in the fourth inning after a passed ball advanced senior outfielder Joey Werner from second to third and a throwing error by the WSU catcher allowed him to score with ease. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Warriors responded with Austin Savary hitting a two-run home run to center field. After four frames, the score was 2-1 in favor of WSU.
In the fifth, the Warriors extended their lead when Derek Martin doubled to right field to make it a 3-1 game.
The Warriors held on to win game one, 3-1. Hits went the way of WSU, 7-2, while they also had the game's only error.
Earning the win was WSU's Cameron Kramer who pitched the one-run complete game. the right-handed pitcher surrendered a pair of hits, walked one and struck out four.Â
On the hill for MSU, right-handed pitcher Jon Ludwig moved to a 7-2 record with the loss in game one. Ludwig threw five frames allowing six hits for three runs. He walked one and struck out 10 of the 22 WSU batters he faced.
GAME TWO (9 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 5, Winona State 1
Game two scoring started with Mavericks' senior outfielder Jack Waletich hitting a base knock to right field to score Jack Friedges.Â
In the next inning, Indlecoffer added a big three-run insurance hit with his sixth home run of the season that flew out to right field and gave MSU a 4-0 advantage.Â
Two frames later, in the sixth inning, Indlecoffer added a fourth RBI to his line with a sacrifice fly that scored Nick Altermatt and made it a 5-0 game.Â
The Warriors attempted to claw back in the eighth and plated one run to make it 5-1, but the Mavericks stood tall to salvage a split of the doubleheader.
MSU outhit WSU 7-5 in game two. Both sides had one miscue in the field in the form of an error.
Knoll, now a perfect 7-0 this season, was the starting arm for the Mavericks in game two. Knoll was efficient, pitching a complete nine-inning game while finishing the outing one unearned run shy of his second shutout. Knoll struck out eight and allowed five hits in his sixth start of the season.
For the Warriors, Savary made the start on the hill for game two and moved to a 2-3 record following the loss. Savary gave up five runs on six hits, walked four and struck out three.
The Mavericks and Warriors conclude the regular season with the three-game series finale tomorrow at Loughrey Field with first pitch slated for noon.
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