MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University got a fantastic spot start from senior Mark LaCroix and scored four runs in each of the second and third innings to top No. 21 ranked Minnesota State 10-5 in game 1 to earn a split over the Mavericks in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball double header Saturday at Corbett Field.

The Beavers (15-9 overall, 10-6 NSIC) snapped the Mavericks (22-5, 16-1) 17-game win streak with win.

LaCroix was solid over four innings, giving up six hits and three runs with four strikeouts in his first career start as the Beavers built an 8-0 lead. He outpitched the Mavericks top arm Brody Rodning as Rodning – who sported a miniscule .29 ERA coming in – gave up eight runs with six earned in just 2.2 innings pitched.

"Mark did what seniors do – he competed," said MSU head coach Scott Eul. "He's one of the hardest competitors we have and that's why we sent him out there. And we swung it pretty well. The guy they threw is a potential top 10 round draft pick and we got to him a little. We need to be better in game 2, but we will be alright."

The Beavers couldn't sustain the momentum, however, as Minnesota State rolled to a 19-1 win in game 2.

In game 1, Minot State jumped out to a 4-0 lead with a four-run second inning. Justin Demary got the Beavers going with a single and a stolen base. He came home on an RBI double by Jarrod Adams. The Beavers manufactured three more as Sean Alp singled up the middle scoring Adams and Michael Borst plated Alp and Kyle Williamson with another single up the middle.

Minot State pushed to 8-0 in the third with a big three-run HR by Williamson and Celestino Rodriguez forced home a run with a bases loaded walk to chase Rodning.

Things tightened up from there as the Mavericks scored one in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the sixth to close to 8-5.

But the Beavers got two insurance runs as Geordie McDougall singled home Demary, who opened the inning with a double down the leftfield line, and McDougall later scored on a wild pitch to get the lead back to five.

Minot State's Tanner Alexander locked down his first save of the year, retiring all four batters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings. He and Brock Breshears combined to give up just one hit in two innings of relief work.

The bottom of the Beavers lineup was superb in game 1 as 6-7-8-9 combined to go 7 for 13 with eight runs scored and five RBIs. Williamson and McDougall were both 2 for 3, Demary was 2 for 4 and Adams was 1 for 3 for MSU. Borst finished 2 for 2 with two RBIs.

In game 2, the wheels came off for Minot State as the Beavers gave up a season-high 19 runs on 16 hits and hindered themselves with five errors. Reilly O'Rourke suffered the loss, going just two innings, giving up five hits and seven runs.

Nick Belzer picked up the win with six innings of shutout ball for the Mavericks. Tommy McDonald finished with six RBIs for the Mavericks.

MSU managed just three hits as Wyatt Schlosser, Borst and Alp all had hits. Dylan Roach plated Demary in the seventh with a sacrifice fly for the Beavers only RBI.

The two teams will return to Corbett Field Sunday for the finale of a four-game Beavers homestand starting at 12 p.m.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.