Mesa State won its first game of the 2009 NCAA Division II World Series against Belmont Abbey College, 7-2. It was the first game Mesa State has ever played in the NCAA World Series.
        Mesa State started out shaky in the 1st inning when senior ace Brent Lamaster walked the leadoff batter of the game and then gave up a double to left center to Belmont Abbey center fielder Justin Vasquez. A walk to NCAA home run leader Daniel Kassouf loaded the bases for DH Danny Brion. Brion singled to left to score two and thats all the Crusaders would be able to muster for the game.
        Mesa State would score one in the bottom of the first on a RBI single by Matt Bodenchuk to cut the score to 2-1.
        In the bottom of the fourth inning with one out, Grant Vickers would walk on four straight pitches to bring up center fielder Craig Lanzarotta. Lanzarotta blasted a 2-run homerun off of Belmont Abbey ace Tyler Powell to left to give the Mavericks a 3-2 lead.
        The Mavericks would score four unearned runs in the seventh inning as they would take advantage of two Crusader errors. Mike Provencher hit a mammoth 3-run homerun  to left center field, his 16th of the season.
        Brent Lamaster improved his record to 7-1 and Crusader righty Tyler Powell's record fell to 7-3.
        The Mavericks have an off day tomorrow but will have a light practice tomorrow afternoon.
        On Monday the Mavericks will face the winner of today's second game, the Emporia State Hornets. Emporia State defeated the Grand Valley State Lakers today by the score of 3-0. The Mavericks and the Hornets will face off at 3:00pm Mountain Time at the USA Baseball Training Facility in Cary, NC.

Mesa State v. Belmont Abbey Box Score

Game One Photo Gallery