MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State picked up a pair of key Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victories over Augustana on Monday night, winning a pitcher's duel 2-1 in the opener before holding on for a 7-6 victory in game two.  The games were played at Legion Field in Marshall.

SMSU, which was ranked seventh in the latest NCAA regional rankings, moves to 24-7 overall, 14-6 NSIC, and is now in sole possession of third place in the league standings.  Augie drops to 22-20 overall, 12-13 NSIC.

The two victories also gives SMSU 13-year head coach Paul Blanchard 346 in his career at SMSU and is now just one victory shy of tying Jim Denevan for all-time victories at SMSU.  Denevan earned 347 victories during his 21 seasons in the Mustang dugout.

In the opener, SMSU's Adam Schrader and Augie's Erza Campbell were outstanding on the mound combining to allow just seven hits in the game.

SMSU finally broke through with the game's first run in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Derick Swenson lead off the inning smacking an 0-2 pitch for a double to right field.  Following a ground out to move Swenson to third, he came around to score two batters later on an RBI ground out by Derek West.

SMSU moved the lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning as Matt Bauer lead off with a single and moved to second on a balk.  Following a strikeout, Josh Nolan reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on first and second.  After Matt Merten fouled out for the inning's second out, Swenson came through with a clutch two-out single to give SMSU a 2-0 lead. 

Schrader was in control for SMSU until Augie put together a rally in the sixth inning.  The Vikings started the inning with a single and walk and following a sac bunt had runners on second and third base with one out.  Schrader then coaxed a pair of ground outs, allowing just one runner to score, to keep SMSU in the lead at 2-1.

Schrader then closed out the game in the seventh with two strikeouts and a ground out to pick up his second complete game of the season and move to 4-1 on the season.  Schrader was outstanding, tossing 94 pitches, including 63 for strikes, and finished the game with eight strikeouts and allowing four hits and two walks.

Campbell struck out six SMSU batters and allowed just three hits while walking two.

In game two, the Mustang offense started out strong scoring three runs in the first inning and eventually building a 7-2 lead after four innings of play.

Swenson led off the home half of the first with a walk and moved to second on a ground out.  Andrew Kinney then scored Swenson with an RBI single to give SMSU a 1-0 lead.  Bauer and West then followed with singles to load the bases before Doug Stearns singled down the left field line to give SMSU a 2-0 lead.  Scott Rambow capped the scoring with a sac fly to score Bauer and extend the lead to 3-0.  SMSU had a chance to score more runs in the inning but left the bases loaded.

Augustana scored in the second on a JaColby Anderson home run, but SMSU came right back in the bottom of the second as Kinney drilled a two-run home over the right field wall to give SMSU a 5-2 lead.  It was his 10^th home run of the season tying him for the team lead with Bauer. 

The Vikings score another lone run in the third to cut the lead to 5-2, but the Mustangs answered back in the home half of the third with a Greg Laughlin infield RBI single scoring Jake Musch, who singled earlier in the inning.  SMSU added another run in the fourth as Munsch smacked an RBI double to right field to score West.  SMSU looked to add to the lead but for the second time in the game ended the inning with the bases loaded.

SMSU looked to be in control until Augie mounted a couple of late inning rallies.  Augie loaded the bases with one out in the sixth to chase Mustang starter Jared Pick.  Tyler Paulson came on in relief and promptly struck out the first batter he faced in three pitches.  Paulson worked ahead 1-2 on the next batter but the Vikings' Drew Heithoff fought off a pitch for a two-run single to trim the lead to 7-4.  Augustana wasn't done as Paulson allowed two more singles and the Vikings pulled to within 7-6 and had runners on first and third base, but Paulson retired Augie's Nate Baumann on a ground out to keep SMSU in the lead.

In the seventh inning Augustana once again mounted a rally using a lead off single and back-to-back stolen bases to put the tying run on third base with no outs.  Paulson held tough and closed out the victory with a pop out and two ground outs to seal the SMSU victory.

Pick earned the victory for SMSU tossing 5.1 innings allowing four earned runs, while striking out four and walking three.  Paulson entered the game in the sixth with the tying run on the on-deck circle and close it out for his third save of the season.

SMSU ended the game with nine hits with Kinney, Bauer and Munsch all finishing with two hits apiece.

Southwest Minnesota State will have Tuesday off, before returning to the field on Wednesday, April 29, hosting Winona State in another big conference doubleheader.  First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at Alumni Field.  It's the final home games of the season for SMSU.