GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – No. 5 seed Southwest Minnesota State snapped a 3-3 tie with two unearned runs in the eighth inning, then put the game away with a six-run ninth to earn an 11-3 victory over No. 2 Minnesota State, Mankato in the opening round of the 2009 NCAA Central Region Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.

SMSU, playing in its first-ever NCAA tournament, advances to play conference rival Wayne State on Friday night starting at 7 p.m. MDT.  Wayne State, the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 4 seed New Mexico Highlands 11-3 on Thursday afternoon.  SMSU is now 28-13 overall, while MSU drops to 38-16.

The Mustang offense smacked 16 total hits in the victory including a career-high four hits for Doug Stearns.  Greg Laughlin added three hits and in the process tied Colby Pack's school record for career base hits with 208.

SMSU started the game strong as Greg Laughlin smacked a one-out single and was followed just moments later by Andrew Kinney who belted a two-run home run over the right field wall to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.  It was Kinney's 16^th home run of the season, the second highest single-season total in school history.

The Mustangs took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second as Doug Stearns lead off the inning with an opposite field home run over the left-center field wall.  SMSU looked to extend the lead putting two runners on base later in the inning but a ground out ended the threat.

MSU cut into the lead in the bottom of the second scoring a single run with the help of two hits and an SMSU error.  The Mavericks started the inning with back-to-back singles and then used a Mustang error to score its first run of the game.  SMSU starting pitcher Adam Schrader induced a ground ball to SMSU third baseman Matt Bauer, who stepped on the bag for the first out, but his throw to first for the double play sailed down the right field line scoring the runner from first base.  With a runner on third base and one out, Schrader ended the Maverick threat with a strikeout and a ground out to keep SMSU with a two-run lead.

MSU had another answer in the bottom of the third as Corey LaPlante belted a lead off home run to cut the Mustang lead to 3-2.  The Mavericks then tied the game in the fourth inning loading the bases with one out on a single and two bases on balls.  LaPlante then singled over the head of SMSU left fielder Derek West to tie the game at 3-3.  Schrader though kept the game tied, recording a pop out and a fly out to end the Maverick scoring threat.

SMSU had a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the fifth as Scott Rambow and Derick Swenson started the inning with singles but Laughlin and Kinney each flew out and neither runner could move up a base.  Matt Bauer singled through the left side to load the bases, but West flied out to right to end the inning.

Schrader retired the Mavericks in order in the fifth and once again SMSU had a great chance to take the lead back in the top of sixth.  Stearns led the inning off with a base hit and moved to second on a ground out by Jake Munsch.  A walk and a wild pitch moved runners to second and third base with just one out, but pinch-hitter Matt Seehusen and Swenson each struck out against MSU reliever Josh Castanza and the game remained tied at 3-3.

The game remained tied into the seventh when Laughlin led off with an infield single for the Mustangs.  But once again, SMSU failed to move him around the bases as a pop out, fly out and ground out ended the inning.

Schrader retired the first MSU batter in the seventh, but after a one-out walk, was relieved by Jared Pick.  Pick did his job coaxing a fly out and strikeout to keep the game tied through seven innings.

In the top of the eighth, SMSU took advantage of poor MSU defense to score two runs and retake the lead.  Stearns started the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Munsch.  Josh Nolan then hit a grounder to the right of the MSU shortstop, who tried to throw Stearns out at third base, but his throw was high and SMSU had runners on first and third base.  SMSU then scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball to score Stearns and advance Nolan to second base.  Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, SMSU scored another run on a throwing error by the MSU shortstop to make the score 5-3.

In the bottom of the eighth, Andy Williamson came on in relief and allowed a lead off single and was replaced by Max Zwart, who promptly retired the first batter on a pop out.  Tyler Paulson then was then called into the game a retired the first batter he faced on a fly out.  Following a single, Paulson closed the inning with a pop out to preserve the two-run lead.

SMSU added to the lead in the ninth as Kinney singled and moments later stole second base.  Bauer then smashed a clutch single to left-center field to score Kinney and push the lead to 6-3.  The Mustangs then put together three more hits, including a two-run double by Munsch to extend the lead to 8-3.  Nolan then plated another run with a sac fly to make the score 9-3.  Following a ground out, Swenson drilled an RBI double to score Stearns and Laughlin capped the inning with a run-scoring single to make the score 11-3 in favor of SMSU.

Pick earned his fifth victory of the season after retiring his two batters in the seventh.  Paulson closed out the game for his fifth save of the season.

Schrader earned a no-decision pitching 6.1 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, two earned runs, while striking out four and walking four batters.

Swenson, Kinney and Bauer all added two hits apiece to held lead the Mustang attack.

Friday night's game between SMSU and Wayne State will be the first meeting between the two schools this season.