WINONA, Minn. – Early runs in both games were too much for the Winona State Warriors (4-16, 4-6 NSIC) to overcome as Minnesota State, Mankato (15-4, 10-0 NSIC) swept the mid-week double header. The Mavericks won game one 12-1 behind six early runs. The Warriors tried to rally in the second game after falling behind 10-2, but were unable to, losing 11-9.
GAME ONE
Mavericks Strike Early & Often
After a scoreless first inning, Minnesota State used a sac fly to take a 1-0 lead in the second inning. In the top of the third MSU opened the game up with five runs on five hits. Four of the five hits were singles, but the Mavericks did hit a two run homer to left center early in the inning. Minnesota State added three more runs in the fourth, including a homer to start the scoring. Two more runs scored in the inning with two outs.
Another three-run inning followed in the fifth giving the Mavericks a 12-0 lead. Winona State loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth but could only manage to score once.
Treyton Larson drove in
Mitchell Heid in with a bases loaded single to the pitcher. Neither team managed much in the final two innings as the Mavericks completed the 11 run victory.
GAME TWO
Rally Falls Just Short
Minnesota State started fast in game two, scoring a run in the first inning and four in the second. They would repeat that scoring effort in the third and fourth innings, taking a 10-2 lead into the bottom of the fourth.
Kipp Youngquist got the Warriors on the board in the bottom of the third inning, smacking a two run homer, driving in
Chad Herbst. Winona State got another run in the fourth when
Nick Nalewanski drove in
Jesus Cazares with a double.
The fifth inning was scoreless but in the sixth Winona State cut the deficit to four with three runs.
Michael Hommes drove in Heid for the first run of the inning.
Taylor Field reached on an error and Nalewanski scored on the play. The final run of the inning, Field, scored on Youngquist's single to left field.
A Maverick error would allow two more Warriors to touch home in the seventh. Cazares, Heid and Hommes all had singles in the seventh for WSU. Heid would bring the Warriors within one in the eighth, driving in Larson with a sac fly to right field.
The Mavericks got a big run in the top of the ninth, giving them some insurance and helping them secure an 11-9 victory.
Winona State will now travel to Minot State for a four-game series starting on Saturday at 12 p.m.
