MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State Mavericks (8-0, 8-0 NSIC) will travel to Winter Haven, Florida, to compete in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational. MSU will face Grand Valley State on Thursday at 2:45 p.m. and Saturday at 8:30 a.m., Northwood on Friday at 9 a.m., Ohio Dominican on Sunday at 1 p.m., Point Park on Monday at 2:30 p.m., and Wayne State University on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and Wednesday at 10 a.m. All game times are in Central Time.
Last Time on the Diamond:
The Mavericks swept UMary this past weekend in a four-game series played in Elkhorn, Nebraska.
On Friday, MSU dominated with a 17-2 victory. Mitch Gutknecht picked up the win, allowing just one run in seven innings while striking out five. Ike Mezzenga and Ben Palmer each drove in a run, while Matthew Fleischhacker scored four times for the Mavericks.
On Saturday, MSU secured a 2-0 win. Nathan Culley earned the victory, allowing only three hits and striking out nine in six innings. Palmer scored on an RBI single from Zach Stroh, while Louis Magers drove in Aidan Byrne with an RBI single.
On Sunday, MSU played a doubleheader, winning the first game 4-2 and the second game 16-6. In the opener, Magers pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two walks and striking out five to earn the win. He also hit a home run to open the scoring. Stroh, Brady Jurgella, Ean DiPasquale, and Hunter Day all crossed the plate.
In the second game, UMary took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning, but MSU responded in the third. Mezzenga hit two home runs, and Stroh added another to give MSU a 3-2 advantage. Brandon Vlcko then smashed a three-run homer, putting MSU ahead 6-5 before breaking the game wide open. The Mavericks cruised to a 16-6 victory.
Scouting the Opponents:
Grand Valley State enters the tournament with an 8-2 record after winning a four-game series against Indianapolis. Jovan Gill leads the Lakers with a .394 batting average, 15 RBIs, and three home runs. Jayden Dentler has been the team's top pitcher with a 1.69 ERA. The Mavericks lead the all-time series 7-6.
Northwood holds a 4-8 record after falling to Embry-Riddle 21-5 on March 4. Caden Duryea leads the team with a .357 batting average, 17 RBIs, and three home runs. Jake Ickes has been the team's top pitcher with a 2.89 ERA. The Mavericks hold a 7-3 advantage in the all-time series.
Ohio Dominican has a 2-6 record after splitting a four-game series with Wayne State. CJ Deans leads the Panthers with a .222 batting average, three home runs, and 11 RBIs. Landon Ringhiser leads the team in pitching with a 2.89 ERA. The Mavericks lead the all-time series 3-2.
Point Park enters the weekend with a 6-1 record after defeating Dominican (N.Y.). Edward Mateo leads the Pioneers in batting with a .333 average, three home runs, and 10 RBIs. Ramon Rodriguez has been dominant on the mound with a 0.00 ERA and a 2-0 record. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.
Wayne State sits at 4-4 after splitting a series with Ohio Dominican. Drew Hill leads the team with a .292 batting average, two home runs, and five RBIs. Macio Miller leads the pitching staff with a 2.25 ERA. The Mavericks hold a 4-0 advantage in the all-time series.
