SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The Minnesota State baseball team swept Southwest Minnesota State in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader by final scores of 13-1 and 6-2 Wednesday at Bishop Mueller Field on the campus of Briar Cliff University.
Now riding a season-high seven-game win streak, the Mavericks now stand 18-4 overall this season with an 11-2 mark in league games after picking up the wins. The Mustangs are now 8-15 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC following the losses.
GAME ONE (7 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 13, Southwest Minnesota State 1
The Mavericks opened game one with a pair of runs batted in thanks to sophomore Jackson Hauge's single to left, which drove in juniors Ryan Wickman and Nick Altermatt. After the first inning of play, the Mavericks led the Mustangs 2-0.
Hauge batted in another run to extend MSU's lead to 3-0 in the third inning when he flew out in rightfield foul territory deep enough for Altermatt to score from third base. The Mavericks carried the three-run lead through the end of the third inning.
In the fourth inning, Wickman singled through the left side to score another pair of runs before Altermatt hit another RBI single and junior Mikey Gottschalk's fielder's choice resulted in another RBI. After four frames, the Mavericks owned a 7-0 lead.
A massive six-run seventh inning capped the Maverick scoring in game one. Altermatt launched his team-high 10th home run of the season, a three-run blast to right-center, as part of the offensive surge in the top half of the seventh. In the bottom half, right-handed pitcher Derek Lilledahl entered the game and secured the 13-1 victory.
Senior right-handed pitcher Cam Kline started on the hill for MSU in game one. Pitching a total of six innings, Kline surrendered four hits and just a run to improve to 3-0 on the campaign. He walked one Mustang batter and struck out eight others along the way.
MSU dominated SMSU 13-4 in hits throughout game one. The Mustangs had the first game's only error while the Mavericks were perfect on the defensive with no errors.
GAME TWO (9 INNINGS) | Minnesota State 6, Southwest Minnesota State 2
MSU opened the scoring again in the second game. A pair of RBI hits from Gottschalk and Schneider led to a 2-0 Mavericks lead. Then, with two outs Schneider made a dash for second to steal a base which drew a throw and run-down situation that allowed Gottschalk to swipe home from third, which gave MSU a 3-0 lead after the first.
In the second inning, Mustangs pitcher Owen Latendresse cut the deficit to two with a solo home run over the wall in left-center. MSU led SMSU 3-1 after two innings of play in the second game.
The Mustangs continued to chip away at the Mavericks lead in the third inning when Keenan Wenzel singled to left to drive in Jaxon Haase. MSU held a 3-2 lead following the third inning.
A single by Kline through the left side in the fifth inning scored Ross Indlecoffer from second base in the fifth inning to give MSU a 4-2 advantage.
The Mavericks reclaimed their three-run lead in the sixth inning when senior Ben Livorsi singled to right-center to score Schneider, making it a 5-2 game.
For the second time on Wednesday, Hauge fouled out to right field deep enough for Altermatt to score from third. The Mavericks owned a 6-2 lead after the seventh inning of game two.
Earning the win in game two was junior right-handed pitcher Jack Zigan, now 3-0, after he entered the game to start the fifth inning and finished outright in relief of sophomore southpaw Nathan Culley, who started on the hill for MSU. Zigan shutout the Mustangs in the final five innings of the contest. He surrendered three hits and recorded eight strikeouts. Culley pitched four complete innings with five hits against for a pair of runs. He walked one and struck out four.
In a more evenly matched second game of the doubleheader, the Mavericks and Mustangs each had eight hits and one error.
In its next action, Minnesota State travels to Northern State for a three-game NSIC weekend series. The first pitch for Saturday's seven and nine-inning doubleheader and the finale Sunday are scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CST.
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