MANKATO, Minn. – The Minnesota State Mavericks (12-6, 5-1 NSIC) return to conference action this weekend with a three-game series against Minot State (8-6, 4-2 NSIC). The teams will meet Friday for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., before wrapping up the series Saturday at 11 a.m. All three games will be played at Frerichs Legion Field in Elkhorn, Neb.

Last Time Out

Minnesota State is coming off a week at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational where they faced six different opponents.

The Mavericks opened the tournament with a 5-4 win over Saginaw Valley State. Senior Ben Irsfeld earned the win in relief after tossing the final 1.2 innings and allowing just one hit. Junior Sam George started on the mound and struck out six across six innings.

Senior Louis Magers tied the game in the sixth inning with an RBI single that drove in Jake Berkland, while also becoming Minnesota State's all-time career RBI leader with 189, surpassing Aidan Byrne's previous record of 188. The Mavericks rallied again in the ninth as Brandon Vlcko was hit by a pitch to bring in the tying run before CJ Trask delivered the go-ahead RBI single to secure the 5-4 victory.

Minnesota State dropped its second game of the tournament to Seton Hill, falling 10-0 in seven innings. Junior Daniel Zang took the loss after allowing six runs, two earned, in four innings of work.

The Mavericks bounced back Saturday with a 7-2 win over Wilmington (Del.). Junior Mack Crowley earned the victory, throwing his first career complete game while allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits and striking out six. Jake Berkland led the offense with two hits and two RBI.

Minnesota State then fell in a tight 2-1 contest against Nova Southeastern. Berkland led off the game with a triple and later scored the Mavericks' lone run, while Louis Magers struck out six over five innings on the mound.
Wayne State (Mich.) handed the Mavericks a 5-2 loss Monday. Minnesota State scored first in the fourth inning on an RBI groundout from Pambos Nicoloudes, but Wayne State responded with a five-run fifth inning to take control.

The Mavericks closed the invitational with a dominant 10-0 victory in seven innings over California (Pa.). Gannon Reidinger earned the win after tossing five hitless innings with four strikeouts while facing the minimum. CJ Trask paced the offense with three hits, including a double and a triple, and three RBI, while Cole Yearsley added a home run and three RBI.

Scouting Minot State

Minot State enters the weekend with an 8-6 record after sweeping a three-game series against William Jewell with scores of 17-1, 2-1 and 13-12.

On the mound, sophomore Wyatt Toth leads the Beavers with a 3.60 ERA and holds a 2-0 record across 15 innings pitched.

Offensively, junior Vinnie Gates leads Minot State with a .426 batting average. Gates has recorded 23 hits, one home run and a team-high 14 RBI while scoring seven runs.