With a trip to the NCAA Central Region semifinals on the line, the Minnesota State Mavericks faced off with the Mesa State Mavericks. Minnesota State comes in with a 41-13 record and ranked 15th in the country by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper while Mesa State came into the contest with a 37-18 record.
New Mexico Highlands University and the City of Farmington are serving as host for the NCAA Central Region Tournament. All games are being played at Ricketts Park, Home of the Connie Mack World Series.
Mesa State left the bases loaded in the top half of the first and Minnesota State capitalized on the opening. Minnesota State scored two runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning. Minnesota would lead after one complete, 2-0.
Minnesota State 2B Matt Kuchenbecker led off the bottom of the second inning with a homerun. Kuchenbecker's homerun was his 7th of the season. Later in the inning, LF Ben Kincaid laced a two out RBI single to extend the Maverick lead to 4-0.
Mesa State would get on the board in the top of the third. DH Jeff Popick (So., Lakewood, CO) belted a solo homerun to right field to cut the Minnesota State lead to 4-1. It was Popick's 11th homerun of the season.
Minnesota State would extend its lead in the bottom of the fourth. LF Ben Kincaid hammered a two-run double to right center to give the Mavericks a 6-1 lead after four complete innings.
Mesa State would load the bases in the top of the fifth inning and sent pinch hitter Chase Moore (So., Ogden, UT) to the plate. Moore would lift a high, fly ball to left center field, deep enough to score 2B Kevin Becker (Sr., San Jose, CA) from third. Later in the inning, CF Brian Bello (Jr., Ft. Collins, CO) lined a ball into left field scoring Brett Nigbur (Jr., Taylorsville, UT) and Jeff Popick. Mesa State would cut the lead to 6-4.
Mesa State would knot the ball game at 6-6 on a one out two-run single by Jeff Popick. Popick lined a one ball, one strike pitch up the middle to score Ryan Shelton (Jr., Woodinville, WA) and Kevin Becker.
Minnesota State would gain the lead back on an RBI groundout by DH Patrick Dockendorf to give the Mavericks a 7-6 lead after six complete innings.
In the top half of the ninth, RF Greg Anderson (Jr., Tempe, AZ) would step to the plate. Anderson would pound a one strike pitch over the right center field fence. Anderson's 8th homerun of the season tied the game at 7-7.
Minnesota State would get a sacrifice fly and the score would end with the Mavericks from Minnesota State defeating the Mavericks of Mesa State by the score of 8-7 in eleven innings
The Minnesota State Mavericks will play the St. Cloud State Huskies tomorrow at 11:00am while the Mesa State Mavericks will play a loser out game against the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys at 3:00pm tomorrow.
