Game 1 - #6 Minnesota State 4 Wayne State 2

Game 2 - #6 Minnesota State 3 Wayne State 1

            NSIC regular season champion Minnesota State completed a four-game sweep over Wayne State College in Northern Sun Conference baseball Saturday as the Mavericks shut down the Wildcats by scores of 4-2 and 3-1 in Mankato, Minnesota.  The sixth-ranked Mavericks are now 40-7 overall and 28-4 in league play while WSC is 25-22 and 18-15 in the NSIC.
            The first game saw Minnesota State score three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 4-2 win over the Wildcats.
            After MSU held a 1-0 lead after three innings, the 'Cats plated single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 2-1 lead.  In the fourth , Michael Herman belted a solo homer to left field to even the score at 1-1 and in the fifth inning Alex Kreft doubled and scored on a Alex Schleppenbach single up the middle for a 2-1 WSC lead.
            But the Mavericks made the most of one hit while taking advantage of one WSC error to score three runs in the sixth inning to rally for the win.
            Wayne State had one more hit than MSU, 8-7.  Kreft was 2 for 3 with a double and run scored to lead WSC at the plate while Herman had a solo homer.  Aaron Krier, Jake Perez, Aaron Molinaro, John Roberts and Schleppenbach also had hits for the Wildcats.
            Starter Nick Ragan was the hard-luck loser, falling to 2-4 on the season.  He was charged with just one earned run allowing seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk in the contest.
            The second game saw MSU hold the Wildcats to just three hits as the Mavericks completed the sweep with a 3-1 win.
            MSU scored single runs in the first, second and fourth innings while Wayne State's run came in the second inning on a solo homer by designated hitter John Roberts.
            Wayne State's other hits were singles by Herman and Perez.
            Left hander Matt Schulz (2-1) suffered the loss despite a solid start.  He gave up just five hits and three runs in  6 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks.  Relievers Chad Kim (2/3 inning) and Curtis Bussard held MSU without a hit over the final 1 2/3.
            Wayne State now awaits results from the remaining games in the league this weekend to find out if the Wildcats qualify for the upcoming NSIC Tournament.  WSC is currently seventh in the league as of late Saturday afternoon with a 18-15 record in the NSIC.