WINONA, Minn. -- Rated 15th in this week's NCBWA Division II Poll, Minnesota State (32-7, 28-6 NSIC) defeated Winona State (22-18, 19-16 NSIC) 4-1 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest to wrap up the 2021 regular season, Saturday.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Collin Denk moved his team-high to 8-0 in the Mavericks' 4-1 victory over the Warriors. Senior first baseman Ross Indlecoffer had another big game offensively with two hits in five at bats, one run and an RBI.
The Mavericks started the scoring with a pair of runs in the opening inning. When senior outfielder Joey Werner reached on an error by the leftfielder, Teddy Petersen capitalized and scored an unearned run with ease. Werner scored the second unearned run when senior Carter Elliott hit an RBI single to right field. MSU led 2-0 after one inning in Winona.
MSU doubled up on its lead in the third with another two-run inning. Werner scored again when Indlecoffer singled down the leftfield line before scoring on a Mitch Frederick double to left center. After four innings, MSU grasped a 4-0 lead.
The Warriors mounted a rally in the sixth, but all they could get was a sacrifice fly from Sam Kohnle that scored one and made it a 4-1 game. Three innings later, the Mavericks finished the 2021 regular season on a winning note with a 4-1 victory vs. the Warriors.
Hits went the way of the Mavericks 9-4. Both sides had two errors in the regular season finale.
Denk, now a perfect 8-0 this season, pitched five complete innings in Saturday's win. The Warriors only mustered up three hits against Denk while he shut them out and struck out five batters. Senior closing pitcher for the Mavericks, Hunter Even, earned a save in MSU's win. His team-high ninth save of the season came after he posted a scoreless ninth frame, walking just one WSU batter.
The loss for the Warriors went to Dillon Whittaker (2-4). Whittaker gave up eight hits and allowed four runs (one earned) over 5.1 innings of work. He walked two and struck out four along the way.
The Mavericks will now wait for the results of other contests around the league to determine who they will play in the first round of the NSIC Tournament at Bowyer Field, next Thursday and Friday in a best-of-three series.
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