MANKATO, Minn. – The No. 8-ranked Minnesota State baseball team returns to NSIC action this weekend as it travels north for a three-game series against Minnesota Crookston.

Last Time on the Diamond:
The Mavericks earned an 18-2 non-conference win over Northwestern College on Wednesday in Orange City, Iowa. MSU tallied 18 hits, highlighted by a three-run homer from Louis Magers in the first inning and a two-run blast by Ike Mezzenga in the sixth.

MSU jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, capitalizing on errors and clutch hitting. The Mavericks exploded for eight runs in the ninth inning to seal the victory. Braxton Haggith added a solo home run in the final frame, and several players drove in runs during the offensive surge.

Mezzenga currently ranks 22nd nationally in home runs, while Nathan Culley ranks 19th in the nation for ERA.

Record Watch:
Mezzenga has 14 home runs this season and leads the NSIC in the category. He is now five home runs away from Jordan Hart, who set the MSU single season record in 2019 with 19.

Matthew Fleischhacker has closed to within one of the MSU all-time career record for walks drawn with 119. The current record holder is Danny Miller, who walked 120 times between 2008-11.

Scouting the Golden Eagles:
Minnesota Crookston enters the weekend with an overall record of 18-19 and a 15-12 mark in conference play. The Golden Eagles are coming off a two-game sweep over Bemidji State, winning 7-4 and 24-3 on Wednesday.

UMC is led by 11th-year head coach Steve Gust, who guided the program to a school-record 28 conference wins last season.

On the mound, Josh Dykhoff leads the way with a 2.79 ERA and a 5-2 record. He also makes a major impact at the plate, leading the team with 12 home runs, a .336 batting average, and 46 RBIs.