Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

BEMIDJI, Minn. - Andrew Kinney belted a two-run home run in the top of the seventh to snap a 6-6 tie and helped lift Southwest Minnesota State to a thrilling 9-6 victory over Bemidji State in game one of a doubleheader in Bemidji on Wednesday.  Curtis Smith then completed the sweep tossing a two-hit shutout in game two as SMSU belted three home runs and earned a 7-0 victory.

SMSU, ranked 7th in the regional rankings released on Wednesday, improve to 17-4 overall, 7-3 NSIC.

SMSU rallied from 3-1 and 6-3 deficits in game one.  The Mustangs scored three runs in the sixth inning to tie the game at 6-6, before Kinney's blast gave SMSU the lead in the seventh.  Derek West then followed Kinney with a solo home run to give SMSU a 9-6 lead.

Aaron Rochleau earned the win in relief, while Tyler Paulson picked up the save pitching a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts.

The Mustangs opened the scoring in game one with an RBI single by Derek West in the first inning.  BSU rallied with two outs in the first scoring three runs off of SMSU starter Adam Schrader.  SMSU answered back with two runs in the top of the second on a bases loaded walk by Greg Laughlin and a BSU passed ball.

Bemidji State plated single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to build a 6-3 lead heading into the sixth before SMSU rallied to tie the game.  Jake Munsch lead off the inning with a single and was followed by a walk to Derick Swenson.  Laughlin and Kinney then came through with run-scoring singles to trim the lead to 6-5.  Following a pop out and a ground out, Doug Stearns walked to load the bases setting up Matt Seehusen, who was hit by a pitch to score Laughlin and tie the game at 6-6.

In the bottom of the sixth, Schrader retired the first two batters, before being replaced by Max Zwart, who gave up a double to the only batter he faced.  Rocheleau came in and walked his first hitter to put runners on first and second base, but he coaxed a fly out to end the inning and keep the score at 6-6.

In the seventh inning, Munsch lead off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Josh Wendland.  Swenson then moved Wendland to second with a sac bunt.  Laughlin grounded out for the second out before Kinney stepped to the plate and lifted a home run a 1-0 pitcher over the left field wall to give SMSU an 8-6 lead.  West then followed on the next pitch with a homer to left field to give SMSU a 9-6 lead and the eventual victory.

In game two, SMSU scored all of its runs via the home run.  Kinney smacked a three-run homer in the third inning, while Scott Rambow belted a solo homer in the sixth.  Josh Nolan capped the scoring in the seventh with a three-run home run.

Smith was outstanding on the mounth, allowing just two hits while striking out six, walking zero and hitting one batter.  Smith retired the first 12 batters of the game before BSU lead off the fifth with a double.  BSU had just two runners reach second base in the game as Smith finished the game tossing 87 pitches including 61 for strikes. 

Scott Rambow and Laughlin each finished game two with two hits apiece, while Rambow scored two runs.

SMSU will continue its road trip this weekend with another key four-game series at Upper Iowa on Saturday and Sunday.