MANKATO, Minn. -- After splitting a Friday doubleheader, with a 6-2 victory and 7-6 loss, to open a three-game series at Bowyer Field, No. 14 Minnesota State will rematch with No. 18 Augustana at Bowyer Field Saturday to determine the winner of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball regular season.
The Mavericks saw their season-high 15-game winning streak come to an end with the loss in game two. They now stand 35-6 this season with a 28-4 mark in league games for the top spot in the NSIC standings. The Vikings are now 40-8-1 and 30-5 in the NSIC to remain second in the standings following the split.
GAME ONE (7 Innings) | Minnesota State 6, Augustana 2
MSU opened the scoring in the bottom half of the first inning in game one when Ryan Wickman and Cam Kline scored on an error by the AU shortstop, who had the ball scoot under his glove. After one inning of play, the Mavericks led the Vikings 2-0.
In the second inning, Augie cut the deficit in half when JT Mix singled up the middle to make it 2-1. The Mavericks reclaimed their two-run lead when Wickman scored thanks to an errant throw by the Vikings' second baseman in the bottom half of the inning. After two innings at Bowyer Field, the Mavericks led the Vikings 3-1.
MSU scored another pair of runs in the third inning thanks to an RBI double down the leftfield line by Ross Indlecoffer. Indlecoffer's two-run double had the Mavericks leading 5-1 after three innings of play.
Wickman scored another run for MSU in the fourth frame. After he doubled to left, he stole third with a head-first slide, marking his team-high 12th stolen base on 12 attempts this season, and then proceeded to score from third on an overthrow by the catcher. MSU was leading AU 6-1 after the fourth inning.
Augie mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning when Will Olson homered to left-center. However, Kline held the Vikings there and the Mavericks prevailed by a final score of 6-2 in game one.
Kline made his eighth start of the season in game one and improved to a 7-0 mark on the year. He pitched his second complete game of the season while allowing six hits for two runs. He walked three Augie hitters along the way and never issued a walk.
Despite falling in game one, AU edged MSU in hits 6-5. Errors riddled Augie by a 4-0 margin In game one. The four defensive miscues resulted in each of the Mavericks' runs being unearned.
GAME TWO (9 Innings) | Augustana 7, Minnesota State 6
The Vikings made their way into the score column first in game two when a double steal executed by Augie resulted in an eventual throwing error to third by the Maverick catcher, which allowed Carter Howell to score with ease after the fact. After one inning of play, Augie led MSU 1-0.
Two innings later, MSU took over the lead after Nick Altermatt doubled to right-center and Mikey Gottschalk singled through the right side. After the third inning, MSU held a 3-1 advantage in runs over Augie.
After the Vikings tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning, they reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh when Jordan Barth hit an RBI single up the middle to make it a 4-3 ballgame. Augie went on to rally for a total of four runs on three hits and carried a 7-3 lead after the top half of the seventh inning.
While the game calmed down offensively for a moment, chaos ensued in the bottom of the ninth as the Mavericks staged a comeback. The inning began with four Mavericks all reaching base safely, which included Ben Livorsi's walk that scored a run with the bases loaded. Then MSU scored two more runs thanks to a fielder's choice groundout hit by Wickman and Adam Schneider scoring on a wild pitch. With the Mavericks' potential tying run, in Wickman, standing on third, Augie's starting catcher who subbed into pitch, Drey Dirksen, led the Vikings out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts. All in all, the Vikings held on to defeat the Mavericks by a final score of 7-6, creating a winner-take-all-scenario in the rematch Saturday for the NSIC regular-season championship.
Sophomore southpaw Nathan Culley made his seventh start of the season in game two. In what was eventually deemed an indecisive outing for Culley, he gave up a pair of hits and one run (unearned) against. He walked and struck out five during the outing. Handed the loss was right-handed pitcher Collin Denk (2-2) after he surrendered the four runs (two unearned) during the seventh inning.
The Mavericks again by the Vikings 8-6 in game two. However, in the second game it was MSU that was flustered by errors while Augie was immune. Maverick errors led to a total of five unearned runs.
The Mavericks and Vikings rematch on Saturday at noon for the nine-inning regular-season finale. The winner of the game will be crowned the regular-season champion of the NSIC. In addition, MSU will be celebrating Alumni Day at Bowyer Field.
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