Mankato, Minn. -- Minnesota State (37-13, 25-8 NSIC) baseball team rallied to score five unanswered runs and turn a 2-0 sixth-inning deficit into a 5-3 victory over Minnesota Crookston Thursday afternoon in the second round of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament.

After a scoreless first three innings, Minnesota Crookston jumped on the board first in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs.

Sophomore shortstop Aidan Byrne helped the Mavericks respond in the sixth with a leadoff double.  A fly ball moved Byrne to third before junior third baseman Mikey Gottschalk singled to right field driving in Bryne to cut UMC's lead to one.

The Mavericks grabbed the lead in the bottom of the seventh as they sent eight men to the plate.

Junior catcher Nick Baker opened the seventh with a single through the left side, advancing to third off junior leftfielder Hunter Ranweiler's single and a throwing error. Freshman second baseman Matthew Fleischhaker lifted a ball to center field, good enough for a sacrifice fly tying the game at two.

After Byrne worked a two-out walk, junior Jackson Hauge punched an RBI single into center field driving home two more giving the Mavericks a three-run lead. Minnesota State would hang on by a final of 5-3.  Hauge would later score on a double steal to secure the Mavericks' fifth run.
 
Senior Dylan Gotto (9-2) went the distance for the Mavericks pitching his second complete game of the season.  Gotto yielded two runs on eight hits while striking out nine, a season high.  He did not issue a free pass in the win.  Gotto let the defense do the work behind him as he registered 11 ground ball outs.

Brody Sorenson (4-3) was tagged with the loss going one inning while surrendering four runs on four hits.

The Mavericks face St. Cloud State tomorrow at noon for a berth into Saturday's championship game.  A loss tomorrow would mean the Mavericks would have to come through the back half of the bracket tomorrow afternoon for a right to play for the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.