It took ten innings lasting three hours and twenty-eight minutes but Minot State University (MSU) got the victory over the Mavericks.
The Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Baseball team tried to come back twice late in the game but it wasn’t enough to get the win.
Everything was looking in the favor of the Mavericks even though they saw some tough times. They allowed five runs in the fourth inning and the Beavers would close in on the Maverick lead 7-5. Junior pitcher Trevin Reynolds walked four Beaver’s batters in the fourth inning helping them score five runs.
The Mavericks responded with two more runs of their own making it 9-5.
Minot State took the lead in the seventh with four runs and they added one more run in the eighth.
In the ninth and with the series opener on the line junior third baseman Caleb Farmer came up to bat with junior shortstop Chase Hamilton in position to score. Farmer hit a double down the first-base line to tie the game at ten.
In extra-innings, the Mavericks could not get the job done at the plate in the ninth leaving Farmer stranded on base.
Drew Behling from MSU saw the ball clearly as he hit the go-ahead homer over the left-field fence that gave the Beavers the lead.
Sophomore catcher Haydn McGeary was not letting the Beavers off easy as he singled to center field to start the tenth for the Mavericks. CMU sent in a pinch runner with junior outfielder Matt Turner stepping on base for McGeary.
Junior first baseman Jordan Stubbings then came up to the plate hoping to do some damage moved Turner to second with another single. A pinch runner came in for Stubbings with sophomore outfielder Chase Cracraft getting the call.
Cracraft was called out on a fielder’s choice play hit by Hamilton. Hamilton’s hit advanced him to second and put Turner on third base.
With runners on second and third Farmer stepped up to the plate to do all he could for the Mavericks. With two outs and a 3-1 count, Farmer hit a fly ball to the right-field gap but the Beaver’s outfielder got under the ball for the final out of the game.
The hitting that the CMU offense produced was contagious as the Mavericks had 17 hits. Six doubles were hit by the offense including two of those from junior catcher Spencer Bramwell. The Mavericks saw one triple from Hamilton in the third inning.
Reynolds got the start and would produce a quality outing. Pitching three and two-third innings, Reynolds struck out seven and allowed six hits.
Junior pitcher Garrett Tisdall registered his first loss of the season as he gave up the home run in the tenth.
The Mavericks hope to take the series lead back from the Beavers as they will have a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon.
The Maverick’s next game will be Saturday, Feb. 29 at noon as they continue their series against MSU with a doubleheader.
