Huskies Split with Mavericks in Monday Night Games

Monday, April 23

Bemidji, Minn.

6:00 PM

St. Cloud State

23-11, 0

Minnesota State University - Mankato

26-10, 0

Minnesota State

St. Cloud State

4/23/2018 7:14:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Zach Siggelkow

Bemidji, MINN. - After splitting Sunday's series opening double-header, the St. Cloud State baseball team (23-12, 16-7 NSIC) split with NSIC rival, Minnesota State Mankato (27-10, 22-6 NSIC) on Monday, April 23 at the BSU Baseball Field in Bemidji, Minn.

St. Cloud State emerged victorious in game three from a 2-1 decision, then fell in the series finale by a score of 8-2. Junior ace, Dominic Austing went the distance for SCSU in game one, striking out seven in his seven inning complete game. The junior ace only allowed three hits and one earned run, while not surrendering any walks. In game two, Matt Butler kept the Huskies in the ball game after throwing 5.1 innings in relief. In the longest outing of his career, Butler struck out six Mavericks and did not allow an earned run.

GAME 3 SUMMARY (SCSU 2 | MSU 1)
The Huskies had their opportunities to capitalize with runners in scoring position early, loading the bases in both the second and third innings but came up empty handed in the second. In the third, Jackson Goplen was struck by a fastball in the back with the bases loaded to give the Huskies a one run advantage, then Aaron Hammann would follow up with a RBI single to give SCSU a two-run lead. The set of runs were recorded after Jordan Joseph, Mitch Mallek and Mathew Meyer each singled to start the inning off. Following Hammann's RBI single, the Mavericks would make a call to the bullpen and the next three Huskies were retired in order.
In the fourth, Jordan Hart would send a solo shot to right field for the Mavericks' sole run of the ball game.
After the fourth inning, the game turned into a complete pitcher's duel between Husky ace, Dominic Austing and Maverick reliever, Bobby Gauvreau. Austing would go on to record a seven inning complete game, three-hitter that consisted of seven strikeouts, no walks and one earned run. Gauvreau went four scoreless innings in relief while only surrendering one hit and no walks.
Austing was the pitcher of record for SCSU, improving to 4-1 on the year with a team-leading 2.33 ERA on the year.
Freshman, Cam Kline was the pitcher of record for the Mavericks, falling to 1-1 on the year after surrendering two earned runs on seven hits in two innings of work for MSU.

St. Cloud State out-hit the Mavericks, 8-3 in game three.

GAME 4 SUMMARY (SCSU 2 | MSU 8)
SCSU fell behind early in the series finale, with the damage beginning with a pair of RBI's from Dylan Dresel and Tyler Berg in the second inning to give MSU-Mankato an two-run lead. Trevor Koenig battled out of a hefty jam in the third by recording back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning after the Mavericks put two in scoring position from a lead-off double and an infield single.
The fourth inning would be the fate of the Huskies in game four. Mankato took advantage of three walks, a hit by pitch and four hits to score five runs in the inning. Trevor Koenig would only face two batters in the inning after Ricardo Garcia would relieve him. Garcia recorded two outs but was eventually relieved by junior, Matt Butler.
Butler would hold the Mavericks to one run over the next 5.2 innings, with that run being allowed after a Husky throwing error.
In Butler's longest outing of the year, he would go on to strike out six and not allow an earned run while only walking one.
Aaron Hammann would break the Huskies' silence on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, singling home Mathew Meyer who drew a one-out walk to spark the offense in the fourth.
Jackson Goplen would tack on another run in the sixth for SCSU by homering deep to left center field off of MSU's Aaron Rozek.
In the bottom of the ninth, SCSU would make things interesting by stringing together a pair of singles and gaining momentum until MSU would make a call to the bullpen, and force a game-ending 6-4-3 double play to give MSU the Monday, and series split.
Koenig was the pitcher of record for SCSU, falling to 2-1 on the year.
Aaron Rozek would earn the win for MSU after tossing five innings in relief and only allowing two earned runs while striking out seven.

St. Cloud State was out-hit by MSU, 14-6 in the series finale.

UP NEXT... HOME OPENER!
Finally, the Huskies will return to St. Cloud for their first home games of the season in 2018.
St. Cloud State will host Minot State in a pivotal NSIC series at Dick Putz Field on Wednesday, April 25th at 3:00 & 5:00 PM.
Tickets are available at the door and students may use their student ID for free admission to all SCSU home games. More information online at scsutickets.com.

SENIOR, ALUMNI, FAMILY, FAN APPRECIATION DAY
St. Cloud State Athletics and the Baseball Program will be celebrating the 2018 senior class of Jackson Goplen, Bo Schmitz, Isaac Matchinsky and Logan Sandgren on Sunday, April 29th against Bemidji State, as well as giving our appreciation of to SCSU Baseball's alumni, family and fans for their tireless and continued support on Sunday afternoon.
First pitch is slotted for 2:00 with the second game to follow.