Game 1 box
Game 2 box
PITTSBURG, KAN.: Southwest Minnesota State behind the hot-swinging bats of Andrew Kinney and Jake Munsch earned a doubleheader sweep of Pittsburg State (Kan.) on Sunday winning 15-11 in game one and completing the sweep with a 13-9 win in game two. SMSU scored in 13 of 14 innings on Sunday and racked up 35 base hits.
The two victories was also the 299th and 300th for SMSU head coach Paul Blanchard, who is now in his 12th season as the Mustang skipper. His teams are now 300-212-1 during his tenure.
The two teams split the four-game series and combined to score 88 runs. Strong wind was blowing out for much of the four games. PSU earned two victories on Saturday scoring the game winning runs in both games in its final at bat.
On Sunday, Munsch collected eight hits in the two games while Kinney finished with two home runs and earned the save in game two. It was the second and third four-hit game of Munsch's career at SMSU.
In game one, Kinney was the hero snapping an 11-11 tie game in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run home run to help spark SMSU to a 15-11 victory. Derek West followed with a home run to push the lead to 14-11. It was the second straight game Kinney and West hit back-to-back home runs. SMSU added a final run in the inning as Lex Reinke hit a sac fly to score Munsch who hit a triple earlier in the inning.
SMSU scored in every inning in the opener but saw PSU once again rally and tie the game in the sixth inning. Trailing 3-2 in the second inning, SMSU's Derick Swenson belted his first career home run over the center field fence giving SMSU a 4-3 lead. SMSU pushed the lead to 5-3 in the third inning on a single by Lex Reinke scoring West from third base.
PSU would rally with three runs in the bottom of the third to regain the lead at 6-5 before SMSU answered back with a four-run fourth inning. With two outs and a runner on in the inning, Greg Laughlin singled and was followed by a run-scoring single by Kinney that scored Matt Merten. Following a walk to West, Munsch came through with a two-run single to right center field Reinke capped the scoring for SMSU with an RBI double to give the Mustangs a 9-6 lead.
The Gorillas would trim the SMSU lead to 9-8 after four inning before SMSU scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth inning with two outs, Swenson doubled down the left field line and came around to score on an RBI single by Laughlin. In the sixth, SMSU loaded the bases with one out before Andy Williamson coaxed a walk to score Munsch and give SMSU an 11-8 lead.
PSU scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game before SMSU put together the rally in the seventh to secure the victory.
Arron Olson earned the victory in relief for SMSU tossing 1.1 innings allowing just one walk with one strikeout. Aaron Johnson made his first career start for the Mustangs tossing five innings allowing eight hits and six earned runs.
SMSU recorded 19 hits in the opener with Munsch leading the way with four hits and three RBI while Laughlin tied a career-high with four hits and three runs scored. Kinney finished the game with four RBI while Reinke added two hits and three RBI.
In game two, SMSU scored first on a sac fly by Laughlin in the first inning before PSU answered with a single run in the bottom of the inning. SMSU regained the lead in the top half of the second as Josh Nolan belted his first homer of the season, a two-run shot to right field. SMSU extended the lead in the third as Doug Stearns doubled home Munsch, who had tripled earlier, to give SMSU a 4-1 lead.
Pittsburg State once again had an answer and took the lead back with a five-run third inning that chased SMSU starting pitcher Derek Bjoraker.
The Mustang offense though came through with a decisive fourth inning pushing across five runs to retake the lead and never looked back. Kinney belted a one out two-run home run to tie the game at 6-6, before Nolan doubled to left field to give SMSU a 7-6 lead. Stearns followed with a two-run triple to close out the inning and give SMSU a 9-6 lead.
PSU trimmed the SMSU lead to 9-8 after five innings before the Mustangs scored on a balk and an RBI single by Swenson to make the score 11-8. SMSU finished its scoring in the seventh inning on a two-run home run by Munsch.
Curtis Smith earned his first career victory for the Mustangs tossing 3.1 innings of relief allowing four hits and two runs. Kinney pitched the final 1.2 innings allowing one run and earned his first save of his career.
The Mustangs belted out 16 hits with Munsch finishing with a game-high four and was just one double shy of hitting for the cycle. Swenson and Nolan each finished with three hits while Stearns finished with three RBI.
SMSU, 2-2 overall, will continue non-conference action on Saturday, Mar. 8 with a doubleheader versus East Stroudsburg (Pa.) in Ft. Myers, Fla., beginning at 3 p.m. EST. The twinbill begins a 10-game road trip for SMSU in Ft. Myers.
