Game One Box
Game Two Box

WAYNE, NEB.:  Southwest Minnesota State earned a big road split today of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at No. 16 and league leading Wayne State, winning game two 9-4 after dropping the opener 8-0.

The split gives SMSU a 20-18 overall record, 10-12 in the NSIC.  WSC is now 35-9 overall, 21-5 NSIC.  SMSU also now controls its own destiny for making the six-team conference tournament starting on May 8.  SMSU can clinch a spot in the tournament by winning three games this weekend at Minnesota, Crookston.

In game two, freshman Curtis Smith tossed six solid innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits. Smith, who improves to 4-4 on the season, held the Wildcats to just one run on three hits in the first five innings before allowing three runs on three hits in the sixth inning.  By then though the Mustangs had built a 9-1 lead and cruised to the victory.

Fellow freshman Doug Stearns paced SMSU in game two with a career-high three hits belting two doubles, a home run and driving in two runs.

SMSU jumped to an early 2-0 lead behind a two-run double by Andrew Kinney scoring Derick Swenson and Josh Nolan.  The Mustangs added to the lead in the second inning scoring three runs to build a 5-0 lead.  With one out Stearns doubled to left center and came around to score on a single by Swenson.  Greg Laughlin then capped the inning off with a two-run double scoring Matt Paulsen and Swenson.  SMSU pushed the lead to 6-0 in the third inning on a two-out double by Stearns scoring Derek West.

Leading 6-1 in the fifth inning SMSU added to the lead as Stearns once again came through with a clutch two-out hit, this time belting his second home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left center field wall to give SMSU an 8-1 lead.  SMSU added an unearned run in the sixth inning for its final run of the day.

Laughlin and Swenson each finished with two hits for the Mustangs in the nightcap.  SMSU ended the game with 10 hits.
 
In game one Wayne State College right-hander Nick Schumacher tossed six shutout innings allowing just two hits to help lead the Wildcats to the victory.  Schumacher earned his 11th victory of the season in 12 starts tying a school record.

Wayne State scored four runs on five hits in the first inning off of SMSU starting pitcher Aaron Johnson and never looked back.  WSC added a single run in the second inning before scoring three runs in the fourth inning off of Mustang relief pitcher Ryan Stoll.

SMSU finished the game with just two hits with Derick Swenson collecting an infield hit in the third and Tony Rislov a single to right field in the fifth inning.

Johnson dropped to 2-4 with the loss allowing four earned runs on eight hits in three innings.

SMSU will conclude the regular season this weekend with a four-game series at Minnesota, Crookston.  Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. with Sunday's twinbill starting at 12 p.m.  The series will be  played at Karn Field in Crookston.