Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MARSHALL, Minn. – Bemidji State scored 12 unanswered runs, including nine in the top of the seventh inning to stun Southwest Minnesota State and earn a 16-10 victory in game two of a twinbill in Marshall and salvage a split.  SMSU cruised in the opener 17-0 behind six home runs and a four-hit shutout by Adam Schrader.

On a windy day in Marshall, SMSU belted 11 home runs in the two games but is now 12-3 overall, 2-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. BSU snapped a seven-game losing streak in game two and is 9-22 overall, 2-11 NSIC.

The Mustang offense cracked six home runs in the opener jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings and never looked back.  Andrew Kinney belted a pair of home runs, while Derick Swenson drilled a grand slam in the fifth inning.  Matt Bauer, Josh Nolan and Jake Munsch also connected for home runs in the opener.

The run support was plenty for Schrader, who tossed just 82 pitches in the game, including 58 for strikes in improving to 3-1 on the season.  The right-hander struck out eight batters, allowed just four hits and walked just one batter.

SMSU pounded out 18 hits in the opener with Kinney finishing 4 for 4 with three RBI, Swenson was 3 for 5 with five RBI and Munsch 3 for 4 with an RBI and four runs scored.  Nolan and Derek West also added two hits apiece to help pace the offense.

In game two it looked like SMSU was on pace for another easy victory as Swenson lead off the bottom of the first with a solo home run to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.  BSU answered back with a three-run home run by Alex Messick off of Mustang starter Curtis Smith in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.

The lead didn't last for long as in the bottom of the second inning Doug Stearns belted a two-run home run following a Scott Rambow walk to tie the game at 3-3.  Two batters later Swenson stepped up and smacked another solo home run to give SMSU the lead back at 4-3.

BSU tied the game in the third without the use of a hit as a hit batter, two wild pitches and a ground out tied the game at 4-4 after three innings.

SMSU then put together a big two-out rally in the fourth inning to take a six-run lead.  With one out, Josh Nolan gave SMSU a one-run lead with a solo home run to left centerfield.  After a fly out for the second out, SMSU put together a walk to Swenson, a single by Greg Laughlin and a walk by Kinney to load the bases and chase starter BSU starter Kevin Morel.  Bauer greeted the relief pitcher with a two-run single to score Swenson and Laughlin and push the SMSU lead to 7-4.  Derek West then followed with a three-run home run over the right center field fence to push the lead to 10-4.

BSU wouldn't go away though and scored a single run in the fifth inning to trim the lead to 10-5 after five innings.

Aaron Rocheleau relieved Smith in the sixth inning and allowed two runs on four hits before leaving the game with the bases loaded and two outs.  SMSU's Max Zwart then came in relief of Rocheleau and struck out Josh Juntenen to leave the bases loaded and preserve a three-run 10-7 lead.

Tyler Paulson came on in the seventh inning to try and close out the game for SMSU, but he hit the first batter, then allowed a walk, a single and another walk to push across BSU's first run of the inning and cut the SMSU lead to 10-8.  Jason Scheffler was then called into pitch and gave up an RBI single to make the score 10-9 with the bases still loaded and no one out.  Scheffler then coaxed an infield pop out for the first out, but another run-scoring single tied the game at 10-10.  Nick Jelacie then delivered the crushing the shot as he smacked a bases clearing double to right center to give BSU a 13-10 lead.  The Beavers closed out the scoring later in the inning on a three-run blast by Ryan Sander to take a 16-10 lead.

SMSU finished the game with 13 hits with Swenson, West and Stearns each collecting two hits, while Swenson scored three runs.

Smith earned the no-decision tossing five innings, allowing six hits and five runs while striking out four and walking one.  Paulson suffered the loss for SMSU and is 1-1 on the season.

SMSU will continue its eight-game homestand on Friday afternoon hosting Minnesota, Crookston in a four-game series at Alumni Field.  Friday's doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. with Saturday's twinbill slated for 12 p.m.