Gorillas Top Mavericks 10-8 at ISG Field – Minnesota State University

MANKATO, Minn. – No. 16 Pittsburg State went undefeated in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament and defeated No. 6 Minnesota State 10-8 Sunday at ISG Field, ending the Mavericks’ historic season in the championship.
 
Minnesota State finished the spring 51-8 overall, tying a program record for wins in a season.
 
The Mavericks took a 2-0 lead early. Matthew Fleischhacker singled to lead off the first for the Mavericks. Aidan Byrne hit a one-out double and Ike Mezzenga collected two runs batted in with a single up the middle.
 
The Gorillas reclaimed the lead with four runs in the second. With a pair of runners aboard, Andrew Branson doubled to the wall in left center field and advanced to third on an error. Jake Skaggs singled in a run and Alex Rodgers reached on a fielder’s choice. Rickey Sanchez reached on a throwing error by pitcher Hunter Day as Pittsburg State took a 3-0 lead.
 
Mack Crowley relieved Day for the Mavericks and Drew Bugner singled in another run with a ground ball over second base. Dagen Brewer homered to left center to bring the inning total to seven for the Gorillas. Ian DiPasquale entered to record the final out.
 
Jake Berkland grounded a two-out single through the left side for an MSU run in the third inning. Then Logan Miller sliced a two-run double to the right-center field gap for two more runs. Ben Palmer’s single made it 7-6.
 
The Gorillas made it 8-6 in the fifth before Aidan Byrne’s sacrifice fly to the warning track in left center field gave him 188 career runs batted in, setting the program record (Jordan Hart, 187). Mezzenga followed Byrne and tied the game 8-8 with a single.
 
Pittsburg State rallied for two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Spencer Wright struck out Andrew Branson with the bases loaded to end the inning.
 
After zeros on the scoreboard in the seventh and eighth innings for both teams, Jake Berkland reached on an error at shortstop with one out in the ninth, bringing the tying runner to the plate. Logan Miller broke his bat on a ground ball to second base and the Gorillas ended the game on a 4-3 double play.
 
The Mavericks advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 43^rd time in program history in 2025 and made their seventh straight appearance. MSU also hosted NCAA Region Tournament games for the ninth time.
 
Louis Magers and Ike Mezzenga both surpassed the MSU single-season record for home runs. Aidan Byrne set MSU career records for hits and runs batted in during the tournament.