DAVENPORT, Fla. -- Minnesota State opened a new season of Maverick baseball with a 17-4 victory over the Gannon Golden Knights in their first game of the RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational, Thursday evening.
With the win, Minnesota State opens the season with a 1-0 record while Gannon falls to 3-3.
Junior Mikey Gottschalk, who went 3-3 in the contest, scored a pair of runs and stole three bases, as well as sophomore Jackson Hauge, who batted 3-6 with three runs batted in, thanks to hitting a three-run homer run in the fourth, and three runs scored, led the Mavericks with three hits each, respectively.
MSU grabbed the lead first in Thursday's contest when Adam Schneider singled to give MSU a 1-0 advantage in the first inning. After the Mavericks matched the the Golden Knights with a run in the second inning, they outscored them 2-1 in the third inning to take a 4-2 lead. Then, the Mavericks scored four more runs in the fourth to take an 8-2 lead. Ryan Wickman singled to drive in the fifth and eventual game-winning run moments before Hauge blasted a three-run home run in the fourth to break things open. The Mavericks first long ball of the season had them holding an 8-4 lead after the Golden Knights responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
MSU made it a 17-4 advantage in the top of the fifth inning with nine runs on seven hits. The Mavericks ultimately prevailed with the 13-run victory by shutting out the Golden Knights the rest of the way.
MSU outshot GU 16-7 in the ballgame. Both sides had a pair of errors.
Mavericks starting pitcher right-hander Nick Altermatt, now 1-0 this season, got the win in the contest. Altermatt pitched four complete innings, allowed six hits and allowed four runs (three earned). Additionally, Altermatt struck out eight and walked a pair.
For the Golden Knights, Matthew Graeber, now 1-1, threw three innings where he surrendered eight runs on nine Maverick hits. He struck out three and handed out one free pass en route to the loss.
Minnesota State resumes action in Florida when it takes on Findlay, Friday at 11:00 a.m. CST, in a seven-inning doubleheader.
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