SIOUX FALLS, S.D. --- Minnesota State outlasted Sioux Falls Saturday evening as the Mavericks defeated the Cougars 9-7.

With the win, MSU improves to 47-6 on the season. With the loss, USF ends its season with a 32-28 record.

The Mavericks will move on to the final day of the NSIC Tournament on Saturday where they will take on Augustana. MSU will need to defeat Augustana two times on Saturday to win the NSIC Tournament championship. Game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. Should MSU win the first game, game two will begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

Sophomore Mack Crowley (8-0) earned the win as he allowed three runs, two earned, in 6.0 innings with five strikeouts. Eli Larson (0-3) was saddled with the loss as he allowed four runs on seven hits, in 5.0 innings pitched. Senior Jacob Gajic threw 3.0 innings in relief, giving up four runs, while striking out two.

Pitching dominated the early going of the game as the Mavericks led 1-0 after three innings. Crowley faced the minimum nine batters through the first three innings, while issuing just one walk. The lone Maverick run of the first three innings came in the second inning as freshman Jake Berkland singled with one out, before senior Lincoln Berry drove him in with an RBI-triple to right center.

The bottom of the fourth saw MSU add two more runs to increase its lead to 3-0. Graduate student Ike Mezzenga walked and came around to score on an RBI-double from Berkland. As he had in the second, Berry once again stepped up to the plate and drove in Berkland with another RBI-triple to put MSU up 3-0.

The top of the fifth would see USF tie the game at 3-3. Isaac Bonner tripled and scored on a wild pitch, before Noah Christenson drove in USF's second run of the inning with a single. Christenson reached third on fielder's choice, before scoring on another wild pitch to tie the game at 3-3. Crowley would get the next batter to line out to end the USF half of the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Minnesota State would rally for six runs to take a 9-3 lead. Five different Mavericks recorded an RBI in the inning as the Mavericks notched five hits, while taking advantage of two walks and two wild pitches.

After USF added a run in the top of the seventh on a double play, the game entered the eighth inning with MSU leading 9-4. In the top of the eighth, the Cougars got a pair of base runners on with a pair of singles with one out. Gajic managed to get the second out, before Williams Edwards hit a three-run home run that bounced off the right field foul pole to cut MSU's lead to 9-7. Gajic would get the next batter to fly out to left to end the inning.

USF managed to get a base runner on in the top of the ninth, but Gajic held firm as the Mavericks came away with the 9-7 win.

Berry and senior Zach Stroh each recorded three hits, while Berry drove in three runs. Mezzenga and Berkland each scored two runs as well.

The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled to air on NCAA.com this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. CST.