The regional hosts got revenge on Sunday, three days after the University of Arkansas at Monticello opened regional play with an upset win.
UAM ended its baseball season with a 7-2 loss to Minnesota State in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament at Bowyer Field in Mankato, Minn.
The No. 7-seed Boll Weevils (33-23), who defeated the Mavericks 5-3 on Thursday, struck first on Sunday.
Left fielder Kirk Woolf opened the scoring with an RBI single, then scored on a single by third baseman Justin Santoyo, giving UAM a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
No. 2-seed Minnesota State (51-7) answered with 4 runs in the bottom half of the same inning.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Right fielder Zach Stroh started it off with an RBI single, then scored on a 2-run home run from shortstop Aidan Bryne.
Designated hitter Ike Mezzenga added a solo home run to make it 4-2 MSU.
The Mavericks added 3 runs in the fourth, then neither team scored again across the remaining five innings.
Mezzenga led MSU with three RBIs and a run on 3 for 4 hitting. For UAM, Woolf and second baseman Chase Cripps each hit 2 for 4.
UAM starting pitcher Ruben Macias (0-2) went three innings, allowing four runs, 3 of them earned, on five hits.
Dylan Vail gave up three runs in one inning before Bryce Louis and Kyle Roop combined for four scoreless innings.
MSU starter Mitch Gutknecht (7-2) went the distance, allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
UAM finishes with a 1-2 record at regionals, having split two games against the hosts with a loss to Pittsburg State. This was the Boll Weevils’ second consecutive trip to regionals.
With the win, the Mavericks advanced to the regional finals against Pitt State.