Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 St. Charles, Mo. --- Strong pitching performances guided Minnesota State to a pair of wins over Lindenwood Saturday afternoon as the Mavericks defeated the Lions by the scores of 7-1 and 3-1.

Minnesota State now owns a 4-1 record on the season.

Game 1 Recap

The Mavericks began the day with a 7-1 win over Lindenwood.

Junior Nathan Culley (2-0) earned the win for the Mavericks as he allowed one run, on three hits, while striking out seven. Preston Salazar (0-2) took the loss as he gave up three and seven hits in five innings of work. Senior Jack Zigan picked up his second save of the season as he set down all six batters he faced.

Junior Ryan Wickman got the scoring going in the top of the third as he belted a leadoff solo home run down the left field line to put the Mavericks up 1-0. Wickman kept things going for the Mavericks in the top of the fifth as he singled and then stole second. Wickman then scored on a two-out single to right center by sophomore Brock Johnson that put MSU up 2-0.

Lindenwood, which had its first 12 batters set down by Culley, finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth as Joe Copeland singled and stole second. With two outs, Ethan Abercrombie drove in Copeland with a single to left field to cut MSU's lead to 2-1.

The Mavericks answered right back in the top of the sixth, as sophomore Aidan Byrne put MSU up 3-1 with a leadoff home run to left field, which ended the day for Salazar. Culley allowed just one hit through his final two innings as the Mavericks led 3-1 into the eighth inning.

The Mavericks added four more runs in the top of the ninth to increase their lead to 7-1. Byrne started the scoring with a two-run single to center field, before sophomore Zach Stroh drove in junior Adam Schneider with a sacrifice fly. Byrne then scored via an error by the catcher.

Zigan set down all six batters he faced in the final two innings to secure the 7-1 win.

Johnson led the Maverick offensive with three hits, while Byrne drove in three runs. Wickman and Byrne each scored two runs also.
 
Game 2 Recap

The Mavericks finished their day with a 3-1 win over the Lions in game two.

Senior Dylan Gotto (2-0) picked up the win as he allowed five hits and one run in seven innings, while striking out five batters. Eli Brown (0-1) was saddled with the loss as he allowed two runs, on five hits, in seven innings. Junior Taesei Yahiro earned his first save of the season as he allowed two hits in two innings.

The game remained scoreless through the first four innings as both teams combined for six hits. The Mavericks broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs. Freshman Matthew Fleischhacker scored via a wild pitch, while Wickman scored on a balk. The Lions were able to get a run back in the bottom of the fifth as Marcus Heusohn doubled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

The Mavericks held their 2-1 lead into the top of the eighth. MSU loaded the bases with nobody out, before LWU got a pair two strikeouts. During Schneider's at bat, a balk was called on LWU pitcher Easton Rackers that brought in Byrne to make it 3-1 in favor of the Mavericks. Rackers would strikeout Schneider to end the threat.

The Lions could not get a run across the plate in the final two innings as Yahiro stranded three runners on base as the Mavericks locked down the 3-1 win.

Minnesota State wraps up its three-game road series with Lindenwood on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.