Sioux Falls, S.D. – The Minnesota State Mavericks opened the NSIC Tournament with a commanding 10-2 victory over the University of Mary on Wednesday afternoon at the Birdcage.

Senior pitcher Nathan Culley continued his dominant season, improving to a perfect 12-0 after tossing a complete game. Culley went nine innings, striking out six while allowing just five hits, two runs, and one walk. He has now tied the MSU single-season record of 12 wins set by Dylan Gotto back in 2023.

UMary got on the board with a solo home run in the top of the first inning, but the Mavericks quickly responded in the bottom half. After a double from graduate student Ike Mezzenga and a walk by graduate student Aidan Byrne, junior Louis Magers crushed a three-run home run to right field to give MSU a 3-1 lead.

Minnesota State added two more runs in the third inning, capitalizing on a throwing error that allowed Mezzenga to score, before an RBI groundout by senior Lincoln Berry brought in Magers. In the fourth, the Mavericks extended their lead to 7-1 on a sacrifice fly by Mezzenga and another fielding miscue by UMary that allowed another run to cross the plate.

The Mavericks stayed aggressive in the fifth, tacking on two more runs with an RBI-single from freshman Jake Berkland and a baserunning play by senior Zach Stroh, who scored on an attempted stolen base. Stroh continued his strong day at the plate with an RBI-double in the seventh to make it 10-1.

UMary added a solo home run in the top of the eighth, but it wasn't enough to slow down Culley, who closed the game with a scoreless ninth inning.

Offensively, Minnesota State tallied 10 runs on eight hits and took advantage of four hit batters and three errors. Magers led with three RBIs, while Stroh finished 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Mezzenga reached base three times and scored twice.

With the win, the Mavericks advance to round two of the NSIC Tournament and will face Sioux Falls on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Ronken Field.