WAYNE, Neb. – A weather-weary Minot State baseball team won a pitcher's duel to start the day, but ended up settling for a split with Minnesota State, Mankato in an early-season battle of two NSIC title contenders on Sunday.

Trevyn Badger won the first-game duel helped by a solo home run by Brent Riddle for the 2-1 margin. MSU Mankato bounced back to take the nightcap, 15-5.

Minot State (14-5 overall, 5-2 NSIC) was forced to hit the road because of bad weather and played what was scheduled as its home opener in Wayne, Nebraska. Minot State and Minnesota State, Mankato (14-5, 4-1) finish their three-game series on Monday at noon in Wayne, Neb.  

GAME 1 | Minot State 2, Minnesota State 1
WAYNE, NE --The Minot State Beavers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 2-1 victory against the Minnesota State Mavericks on Sunday.

Trevyn Badger (2-0) got the win for Minot State. The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one run on two hits, allowing one walk and striking out four.
In the batter's box, the Beavers were paced by Matt Malone who went 3-for-3 on the day with a triple and an RBI. Brent Riddle furnished a standout day at the dish as well, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the bottom of the first inning. Minot State scratched across a run off freshman Nathan Culley when Malone tripled in Derek Kay.

The Mavericks then tied the ballgame at one before the Beavers came back to reclaim their advantage in the third inning. Minot State picked up a run on Riddle's leadoff home run off of Culley, which brought the score to 2-1 in favor of the Beavers. The score remained 2-1 for the rest of the game, as Minot State held on for the win.

GAME NOTES
» Malone had three base knocks in the game for Minot State.
» Minot State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Badger put together seven innings of one-run ball for the Beavers.
» The Beavers out-hit the Mavericks at a 4-2 clip.
» Minot State pitchers faced 26 Minnesota State hitters in the game, allowing nine ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out four.
» Malone led the Beavers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI.
» Minnesota State was led offensively by freshman Mikey Gottschalk, who went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI.
» Culley led the Mavericks pitching staff, throwing six innings of two-run ball.

GAME 2 | Minnesota State 15, Minot State 5
WAYNE, NE --Shane Kary and Matt Malone each collected two extra-base hits, but the Minot State Beavers fell to the Minnesota State Mavericks 15-5 on Sunday.

Bryant Bagshaw (4-1) got the ball to start for Minot State and took the loss. Noah Balandran was a bright spot for the Beavers, coming out of the bullpen and throwing one inning, giving up one run on no hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.

Kary's two extra-base hits were the highlight of a 2-for-4 day, and included a double, a home run and an RBI. Malone made his contribution with two doubles, part of a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. Mark Ossanna also contributed for the Beavers, putting together one hit in four trips to the plate while adding a home run and two RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Beavers were trailing 1-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. Minot State plated two runs off of Minnesota State pitching, one of which was driven in on a run-scoring double off the bat of Carter Paine.

The Mavericks then rallied to score five runs and take a 6-2 lead before the Beavers got back on the board in the fourth. Minot State picked up a run on Kary's one-out solo home run off of freshman Dylan Gotto, which tightened the Mavericks lead to 6-3.

Minot State kept the Mavericks off the scoreboard before narrowing the gap to 6-5 in the fifth. The Beavers added two to their tally on Ossanna's two-run homer to right. The Beavers were unable to get any closer, as Minnesota State added nine runs to their tally on the way to a 15-5 final.

GAME NOTES
» Minot State got multiple extra-base hits from both Kary and Malone.
» Minot State's highest-scoring innings were the second and fifth, when it pushed two runs across in each.
» Minot State went 3-for-7 (.429) with runners in scoring position.
» Minot State pitchers faced 50 Minnesota State hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and 11 fly balls while striking out eight.
» Kary led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and an RBI.
» Minnesota State was led offensively by freshman Mikey Gottschalk, who went 1-for-6 with a home run and four RBI.
» Freshman Spencer Wright led the Mavericks pitching staff, throwing three scoreless innings.
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