Delta State rallies to eliminate MSU Mankato

Delta State scored six runs in the final two innings to rally past Minnesota State Mankato 6-5 in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II baseball championships in Cary, N.C., on Thursday.

The Mavericks (51-12) finished third in the tournament, while Delta State advanced to play West Chester in Saturday's championship game.

The Statesmen erased the Mavericks' 5-0 lead with five runs in the top of the eighth inning, the last two coming on Tyler Aldridge's RBI single.

Delta State scored the winning run in the top of the ninth on a controversial play. Jordan Chovanec singled and was called out stealing second, but umpires met and reversed the call. Chovanec eventually scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Mike Vinson.

Pat Dockendorf, Nolan Johnson, Ben Kincaid and Jeremy Sudbeck each had two hits for Minnesota State Mankato.

ARCA at ElkoThe first ARCA race in Minnesota will run Saturday night at Elko Speedway.

The Akona 200 begins at 8 p.m. after pole qualifying at 5 p.m.

Etc.• Briana Mao and Kim Kauf-man were co-medalists with rounds of 2-under 71 in the sectional qualifying for the USGA Women's Amateur Public Links at Keller Golf Course in St. Paul. Sarah Burnham and Lindsay Danielson claimed the final two qualifying spots. The championship will be conducted at Neshanic Valley (N.J.) Golf Course on June 18-23.

• Paul Rovnak will take over as spokesman for the University of Minnesota football team.

• The St. Paul Saints defeated host Newark 6-3 as Wes Roemer got the victory, going 72/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits.