Box Score
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Minnesota State, Mankato rallied from an early 4-0 deficit to earn a 6-5 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in an elimination game at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn.
The loss drops SMSU to 27-13 overall, while MSU improves to 35-15 overall and will advance to play Upper Iowa on Saturday night. The winner of the MSU/UIU game will face Wayne State in the championship game on Sunday afternoon.
SMSU will now await word if its 27-13 record will be enough to advance to the program's first ever NCAA regional tournament. The official announcement will be late Sunday night or early Monday morning. SMSU began the week ranked fifth in the NCAA Central Region. The top six teams qualify for the tournament. Check www.SMSUmustangs.com for the latest announcements.
Southwest Minnesota State jumped to a big early lead as Derick Swenson led off the bottom of the first getting hit by a pitch. He then moved to second on a throwing error by MSU pitcher Chris Odegaard, who attempted to throw out Swenson on a bunt by Greg Laughlin. Andrew Kinney then drilled a single to right field that was muffed by the right fielder allowing Swenson to score and give SMSU a 1-0 lead. Matt Bauer made it 2-0 with a sac fly to left to score Laughlin and push the lead to 2-0. Following a fly out by Derek West, Josh Nolan lifted a two-run home off the top of the right field fence, his fifth of the season, to extend the lead to 4-0.
SMSU starter Brad Haag retired six of the first seven batters of the game, but the Mavericks were able to cut into the lead in the top of the third inning. MSU loaded the bases with no outs and used a sac fly to score its first run of the game. Haag then coaxed a foul out for the second out of the inning, but then issued a two-out walk to reload the bases. MSU's Matt Kuchenbecker then smacked a two-run double down the right field line to trim the lead to 4-3. Another walk loaded the bases, but Haag retired the final batter of the inning on a fly out to preserve the 4-3 lead.
The score remained 4-3 until the top of the fifth when MSU's Geno Glynn drilled a solo home run over the left-center field wall to tie the game at 4-4.
SMSU regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth using some clutch two-out hitting. Nolan walked with two outs and moved to second on an infield single by Jake Munsch. Doug Stearns then delivered a run-scoring single to center field to score Nolan give SMSU a 5-4 lead.
SMSU dodged a bullet in the top of the sixth as MSU lead off with a single and advanced to third on a passed ball and an error with no outs. Haag then recorded a strikeout for the first out and was relieved by Jared Pick. Pick then shut the door with a strikeout and a ground out to keep the Mustangs in the lead.
The Mavericks then put together its own two-out rally in the top of the seventh off of Pick. With two outs, a single and a hit by pitch put runners on first and second base. MSU's Aaron Berner then singled to right field and the ball then skipped past Munsch in right field for an error allowing a second run to score and give MSU its first lead at 6-5. Andy Williamson came on in relief of Pick with runners on first and third and ended the inning with a ground out to keep SMSU to within one run.
SMSU put a runner on second base with two outs in the sixth and were unable to score and in the seventh inning put runners on first and second base with two outs but a strike out ended the threat.
MSU reliever Nathan Kafka retired the final six SMSU batters in order in the eighth and ninth innings to preserve the victory.
Pick was the hard-luck loser for SMSU allowing two runs, one earned in 1.1 innings of work. Haag finished the game pitching 5.1 innings, allowing five hits, four runs, while walking four batters and striking out three. Mustang relievers Andy Williamson, Max Zwart and Tyler Paulson combined to pitch the final 2.1 innings allowing just two hits while striking out two.
SMSU finished the game with eight hits with Jake Munsch recording a 2-for-3 game, while Kinney was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
