MINNETONKA, MN – Despite a pair of strong starting efforts by junior righthanded pitchers
Jake Johnson and
Isaac Saad, the University of Mary baseball team was swept by Minnesota State University. The preseason Northern Sun favorite, the Mavericks swept the Marauders 4-3 and 6-3 to claim all four games in the conference opening series for both teams.
The opener proved to be the most heartbreaking loss. After rallying to tie the game in their last at bat, the Marauders saw the game slip away when an error brought home the game-ending run in a 4-3 win for the Mavericks.
In a series moved to Minnetonka, MN, due to the field conditions at the Minnesota State field, the Mavericks opened the scoring with a 2-out 3-run home run in the third inning by Dylan Dresel. In an inning extended by error, all three runs were unearned.
The Marauders began to rally with a pair of runs in the sixth inning. A two-out double by
Drew Feuerbach scored
Connor Doll with the first run. Feuerbach scored next on a Mavericks fielding error.
Needing one more run to continue the game, freshman
Jaxon Ford led off the seventh inning with a walk. Sacrificed to second, Ford managed third on the throw. A base hit to left by
Seth Meide scored Ford to knot the game 3-3.
In the bottom of the seventh, a Tyler Berg single and a sacrifice bunt moving him to second brought on a Mary pitching change with
Will Pettener replacing Johnson on the mound. After a walk, Pettener induced a ground ball to shortstop
Daulton Sauce. A flip to Meide at second registered the second out of the inning but a subsequent error on the play allowed Berg to score for a Mavericks walkoff win.
Johnson allowed four runs – none earned – in 6.1 innings. He allowed six hits and two walks while striking out three.
Jon Ludwig limited the Marauders to two runs – one earned – in six innings. He gave up just two hits and two walks and struck out seven. Nick Belzer blew the save but earned the win in one inning of work.
Facing a Marauders team that competed until the end, the Mavericks closed out the weekend sweep with a 6-3 win as Mary brought the go-ahead run to the plate.
Making his first career start for the Marauders, Saad was treated rudely as MSU leadoff hitter Eric Peterson homered to center field. The junior from Prior Lake, MN, immediately settled down and retired nine of the next ten hitters he faced.
An
Andrew Beyer one-out opposite field double down the left line in the top of the third inning scored
Daulton Sauce to knot the game 1-1.
Continuing to be a thorn in Saad's side, Peterson cracked a 2-run double in the fifth to regain the lead for the Mavericks at 3-1.
Immediately the Marauders responded.
Darius Barlas led off the sixth with a triple and scored on a Feuerbach ground out to pull Mary within 3-2.
Slowly the Mavericks began pulling away, scoring three unearned runs on passed balls over the next three innings, with one run in the sixth and two in the eighth.
Mary put together one last rally. After Pettener hit a one-out single and Ford walked, Beyer singled to right center to score a run.
Connor Doll walked to put the tying run on base before Barlas went down swinging for the final out of the game.
Saad gave up four runs – just three earned – in 5.1 innings. He struck out four and allowed seven hits and a walk.
Charles Bielejeski closed out the game with 2.2 inning pitched, giving up two hits and two runs, both unearned.
Beyer led the Marauders with three hits and two RBIs in five at bats as Mary totaled eight hits.
Peterson had two hits and three RBIs for MSU. Hart added two hits.
Mitchell Bauer struck out 11 hitters in a 9-inning complete game for MSU. He gave up three walks and eight hits.
The Marauders (4-9 overall, 0-4 NSIC) next visits Augustana on March 25-26.
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