MARYLAND, MO – Fighting back from deficits in both ends of a doubleheader against one of the nation's top teams, the University of Mary baseball team made program history by sweeping a pair of games from #9 Minnesota State University. The Marauders captured the opener 7-6 before finishing the sweep with a 17-7 victory.
 
This was the 27^th doubleheader UMary (5-7 overall, 2-4 Northern Sun) has played against Minnesota State (9-2, 5-1) since the series started in 2007 and the first time the Marauders claimed both contests.
 
GAME 1: UMary 7 Minnesota State 6
In the third and final Northern Sun game of the weekend between UMary and Minnesota State, the Marauders used a pair of runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to rally for the win.
 
Down three after four innings, the Marauders comeback started with a Cru Walker run-scoring double. A Mavericks error provided a second run for UMary in the fifth. Kieran Gaffney tied the game with a single in the sixth, driving in Bryce Leafgren.
 
The Mavericks regained the lead at 5-3 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Undeterred, the Marauders retaliated in the seventh with a run-scoring Isaac Pegors single and a Gaffney sacrifice fly to knot the score at 5-5.
 
With Cole Smith holding the potent Minnesota State attack in check, Pegors delivered the go-ahead blow with a 2-run single in the eighth inning to provide the Marauders their first lead of the game at 7-5.
 
Refusing to quietly go away the Mavericks scored one run and loaded the bases with one out before Sam Hayem closed the door. The UMary closer escaped a precarious situation strikeout for the second out of the inning before inducing a fly ball to left field for the final out.
 
Led by Smith, the Marauders bullpen limited the Mavericks to a single run over the last four innings. Smith claimed his third win of the season with two scoreless innings of work. He allowed one hit and struck out three but walked four. Hayen, after entering the game with a runner on base in the ninth inning, earned his first save of the season after generating one strikeout while walking three.
 
Pegors pounded out a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Kalem Haney had two hits and scored a run. Gaffney drove in two runs and Luke Rhee scored twice, including the Marauders go-ahead run.
 
Louis Magers score three runs, had two hits and walked twice to lead the MSU offense. Pambos Nicoloudes drove in three runs on a triple, a sacrifice fly and when he was hit by a pitch to force home a run.
 
GAME 2: UMary 17 Minnesota State 7
A close game featuring five lead changes and two ties turned into a runaway when the Marauders scored ten runs in the seventh inning to complete the doubleheader sweep in a non-conference contest.
 
Minnesota State opened the scoring for the fourth straight game when the Mavericks pushed across a single run in the first inning. UMary tied the game in the third on a run-scoring groundout before Bryce Leafgren followed with a 3-run home run to give the Marauders a 4-1 lead.
 
Minnesota State wasted no time regaining the lead as a grand slam by Louis Magers in the bottom of the fourth provided the Mavericks with a 5-4 lead.
 
Leafgren singed home Kalem Haney in the fifth to tie the game but again the Mavericks had an answer, regaining the lead at 6-5 on a UMary error.


Haney, who scored three runs, drove in three and walked three times in the second game, singled home Hudsen Sheldon and Luke Rhee in the sixth inning to once again provide UMary with the lead.
 
The Marauders then buried the Mavericks in the seventh, scoring ten runs on six hits, three walks, a hit batter and an MSU error. Three runs scored on bases loaded walks before Gaffney hit a 2-run single and Rhee capping the inning with a 2-run triple.
 
Leafgren drove in five runs on two hits. He scored twice and walked twice. Gaffney and Rhee both has two hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. Isaac Pegors scored twice and drove in two runs. Sean Saiki added two runs scored, two hits and one RBI. Sheldon crossed the plate twice.
 
Jacob Burgess earned his first win, striking out three and allowing one unearned run in two innings. Grant Pednaud, who came into the game with two outs in the sixth, stranded two runners on base and pitched 1.1 innings for a save.
 
Jakle Berkland had two hits and scored twice for MSU.
 
After playing eight games in six days, the Marauders next visit #18 Metropolitan State University of Denver in a four-game series March 13-15.
 
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