GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

MANKATO, Minn. – Blake Schwartz, the 2010 NSIC Pitcher of the Year, tossed a one-hitter and allowed just two batters to reach base, to lead Minnesota State, Mankato to a 5-0 game one victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday in Mankato. The Mavericks then completed the doubleheader sweep pushing across seven runs in the sixth inning to rally from a 3-2 deficit and earn a 14-4 victory in game two.

The two victories gives MSU its 20th and 21st straight victories, a new school record, and is now 33-8 overall, 25-3 NSIC. The Mavericks are ranked No. 2 in this week's NCAA region rankings and ranked No. 11 in one national poll.

SMSU is now 9-21 overall, 5-14 NSIC. Since opening the NSIC season winning three of its first four games, SMSU has lost 13 of its last 15 games and is currently on a seven-game losing streak, its longest since dropping eight in a row during the 2006 season.

In the opener, Schwartz struck out three SMSU batters and hit one and moves to 9-1 on the season.

Brian Ness collected SMSU's only hit of the game, a second inning single, while Josh Wendland reached via a hit by pitch in the fourth inning, for SMSU's only base runners of the game.

MSU jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning off of Mustang starter Aaron Johnson. Jeremy Sudbeck belted a solo home run, while another run scored from third base after SMSU tossed out a runner attempting to steal second.

MSU made it 3-0 in the third as Johnson uncorked a wild pitch with a runner on third base and then added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings with two-out RBI hits.

Johnson fell to 2-4 with the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on five hits, with four strikeouts and two walks. Alex Alvarez pitched one inning and allowed one run on three hits.

In game two, SMSU trailed 1-0 after three innings, before finally breaking through on the scoreboard and taking the lead. With one out in the fourth, Tyler Fayden singled and stole second. Following a fly out, Jordon Kontz came through with a two-out single to tie the game at 1-1. Tyler Flattum then doubled to put runners on second and third, but a ground out ended the threat.

SMSU took its first lead of the game in the fifth on a fielder's choice RBI ground out by Cody Curry to score Tyler Brinka, who reached earlier on a Maverick error.

MSU plated a run in the fifth to tie the game, before SMSU answered again as Kontz was hit by a pitch and after stealing second base, came around to score on a single by Tyler Flattum to give SMSU a 3-2 lead.

SMSU freshman pitcher Steven Wehr, making his first career start, held MSU in check for the first five innings, but lost his control in the decisive sixth inning. Wehr hit three MSU batters and gave up two hits to help start at seven-run rally by the Mavericks and take a 9-3 lead.

Fayden smacked an RBI triple for SMSU in the seventh, scoring Adam Thygesen, who singled earlier, before MSU answered with two more runs in the home half of the inning to build an 11-4 advantage. The Mavericks then pushed across three more runs in the eighth for the final total and end the game via 10-run rule.

SMSU pitchers combined to allow 14 hits, four walks and hit four MSU batters in the nightcap. Wehr took the loss, pitching a career-high 5.1 innings, allowing eight runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Flattum and Fayden both finished 2 for 4 with an RBI to pace the Mustang offense.

Southwest Minnesota State will return home on Tuesday afternoon and look to snap its losing streak taking on Bemidji State (17-24, 11-16 NSIC) in a conference doubleheader at Alumni Field starting at 1:30 p.m. It's the final home games for SMSU this season.