MANKATO, Minn – The Minnesota State Mavericks split their midweek series with the University of Sioux Falls Cougars on Tuesday afternoon at Bowyer Field. After falling short in the first game 4-2, the Mavericks responded with a 5-2 victory in the nightcap to maintain a strong 30-4 overall record, while the Cougars moved to 20-21 on the season. 

Game 1 – MSU 2 USF 4  

Sioux Falls jumped on the board early in the first inning with a run scored on a fielding error. Minnesota State answered back in the third inning with a two-RBI double from Louis Magers, giving the Mavericks a brief 2-1 lead. However, the Cougars tied it with a solo home run in the fifth and added two more runs in the seventh to pull ahead for good. Despite a late single by Logan Miller, the Mavericks couldn't rally, and the Cougars secured the 4-2 win. 

Game 2 – MSU 5 USF 2 

MSU held Sioux Falls scoreless through the first four innings, while the offense came alive in the fifth and sixth innings. After a scoreless start, the Mavericks broke through in the fifth with a pair of RBI hits and capitalized on wild pitches and timely base running to build a 5-0 lead. Sioux Falls managed two runs late, but the Mavericks' pitching and defense held firm to close out the 5-2 win and salvage the series split. 

"We had a good pitching performance today; we couldn't put runs together for a consistent big inning. Brandon Vlcko had a big hit in the second game to get us going and give us a lead. Throughout the course of the season, you'll have those close games, and they will ultimately make us better at the end of the year." said head coach Matt Magers.  

The Mavericks are back on the road as they face Northwestern College tomorrow evening at 5:00 p.m. in Orange City, Iowa.