MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University rolled to a pair of wins over rival University of Mary to finish off its home Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference schedule with a total of 12 wins Sunday at Corbett Field.

The Beavers (25-19 overall, 20-16 NSIC) moved into fifth place, a half-game behind fourth place Wayne State and all but locked up a NSIC Tournament spot, taking a four-game lead on ninth place into the final four games of the season. MSU will need just one win in its final four games – a weekend set at Upper Iowa Friday and Saturday – to clinch its first postseason spot since moving to the NSIC.

"We put ourselves in a good position going into the final week," said MSU head coach Scott Eul. "We need to get the one, but we are playing for seeding now. We want to keep away from the 1-2-3 teams if we can and we are focused on that now."

Minot State stung a bit from a game 2 loss Saturday to the Marauders but shook off any ill feelings early. Eul was happy with his team's intensity from the beginning.

"We bounced back pretty well today and did what we had to do to get both of them," he said. "We were focused. We have stressed the last month of the season, it's a long season and you have to be ready for both. Two a day is tough – my knees hurt and I didn't do anything. We were focused and ready."

The Beavers used the long ball to jump out to an early lead in game 1.

Celestino Rodriguez hit a solo shot in the second inning, his third of the year, for a 1-0 lead and Paul Vogelsang roped his fourth of the year, a two-run HR, in the third. After Rodriguez drove in his second run of the day after getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth, the Beavers were in control up 5-0.

It was more than enough for senior Tanner Alexander, who made one mistake, a two-run HR for Darius Barlas in the fifth, to cruise to his sixth win of the year. He allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six to improve to 6-3.

Tanner and (game 2 starter Mark La Croix) both threw really well," Eul said. "They attacked and mixed it up and really kept (UM) off balance."
Vogelsang was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Rodriguez was 1 for 2 with two RBIs for the Beavers.

In game 2, it was all Minot State as the Beavers scored five runs in in the first inning and three more in the second to take a 8-2 lead. MSU pushed it to 10-2 after four.

LaCroix was superb going 7.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with just one earned run. He struck out four and walked just two to improve to 4-1.

Wyatt Schlosser went 3 for 5 at the plate and drove in four runs. In the series, Schlosser had seven hits and eight RBIs, knocking in four apiece in the first and fourth games.

"Wyatt was clutch," said Eul. "He came up with guys on all weekend and came through just about every time. It was nice to see that from him."

Michael Borst also went 3 for 5 in the game and knocked in two. Jordan Schulz finished 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored for the Beavers.

Minot State will travel to Fayette, Iowa for the season finale, playing a pair of double headers Friday and Saturday.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.