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Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Page address: https://web.mnsu.edu/sports/championshipclub/news/html/eight_of_nine.html

Baseball Wins Eight of Nine

by Garret Felder
March 21, 2006

While Team USA was being upset by Canada and Mexico in the World Baseball Classic in Arizona and the remaining major leaguers were training for the 2006 season, the Mavericks made another trip south to build more confidence for the conference season.

After winning two games against Concordia-St. Paul at the Metrodome March 9 and winning six out of seven against various teams March 11-17 in Fort Myers, Fla., the Mavericks still search for confidence and offensive consistency before facing their conference opponents back home

“We’re hitting .347 and we’re playing good defense, but we need more consistency in hitting,” said head coach Dean Bowyer. “It’s like one day the team is hitting good and then the next day it’s like they hadn’t hit before.”

Although the Mavericks’ offensive consistency is down, Bowyer said, the team batting average is up more than 60 points compared to last year’s .280 team batting average at this point in the season. Despite a lack of patience at the plate, Bowyer said, the squad’s extra year of experience shows in the team’s increased batting average.

Wit 17 sets of parents following the men’s baseball team to Fort Myers, the squad made the most of its trip by winning six games and getting to know the newcomers of the team. While many of the players were able to spend some time with family and other teammates for the week, Bowyer said, trips south allow the Mavericks to compete with other teams in the North Central Conference who are also making trips south.

“You have to make trips south to stay up with the teams in the region and extend the season because more games turns into more confidence,” Bowyer said.

MSU baseball hopes to improve its offensive consistency when it travels to Bolivar, Mo., to face Southwest Baptist Friday and Saturday and then finish up the weekend with Central Missouri State and the University of Mary Sunday.