GAME ONE BOX
GAME TWO BOX
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Southwest Minnesota State opened Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play in a big way on Saturday sweeping Northern State 14-4 and 15-0 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The four-game series was scheduled for Marshall, but was moved to Sioux Falls due to poor field conditions in Marshall.
SMSU (6-6, 2-0 NSIC) has now scored double digit runs in four of its last five games. The Mustangs collected 32 hits in the two games, while the SMSU pitching staff did not allow a walk in either game.
In game two, SMSU starting pitcher Adam Schrader tossed a seven-hit shutout, his fourth shutout of his career, to help lead the Mustangs.
In game one, Derick Swenson, Cody Curry and Matt Bauer all finished with three hits to lead SMSU to the 14-4 victory in a game that was halted after seven innings due to run-rule. The Mustangs banged out 16 hits, including two home runs.
Bauer and Curry also finished with three RBI in the game, while Bauer and Swenson each hit solo home runs in the contest.
Right-hander Brad Haag picked up the victory on the mound, tossing a solid 6.2 innings, allowing 10 hits and one earned run, while striking out four and walking none.
SMSU jumped to a big lead in the opening inning taking advantage of wild pitching by NSU starter Trent Bestland, who walked three and hit one batter, to stake the Mustangs to a 2-0 lead. SMSU scored another run on a wild pitch, before Josh Wendland smacked a two-run double to push the lead to 5-0.
The Mustangs plated two more runs in the second as Curry hit a run-scoring double, while Bauer smacked an RBI single.
NSU (3-18, 0-6 NSIC) cut the lead to 7-1 with a run in the fifth, but SMSU put together a two-out rally in the home half of the fifth as Bobby Zellman hit a single and moved to second on a hit by pitch by Swenson. Curry then made it 9-1 with a two-run double to the left-center field gap.
NSU scored another run in the sixth, but once again SMSU had a response, scoring two runs. Matt Bauer hit a solo homer to left field to make it 10-2, before Adam Thygesen pushed across another run with an RBI triple to extend the lead to 11-2.
The Wolves scored two unearned runs in the seventh, before the Mustangs closed the game out with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
In game two, Brian Ness collected three hits, including two doubles and his first career home run. Kinney also smacked out three hits, including a home run, a triple and a single and also had four RBI. Bauer finished with three hits in game two as well and six in the twinbill.
Schrader improved to 1-2 on the season, tossing the complete game with six strikeouts. Schrader tossed 95 pitches, including 64 for strikes.
Andrew Kinney belted a solo homer in the first to give SMSU an early 1-0 lead. In the home half of the second, Tyler Fayden and Tyler Jendro lead off the inning with back-to-back singles and came around to scored on a two-run double by Brian Ness, his first career collegiate hit.
SMSU extended the lead in the third plating three runs. Kinney started the scoring with an RBI triple and came around to score on an RBI double by Bauer. Jendro scored Bauer on a sac fly to make it 6-0, before Ness drilled another double, this time scoring Josh Wendland, to push the SMSU lead to 7-0 after three innings.
The Mustangs added two runs in the fifth inning and then scored six more in the sixth, including a two-run homer by Ness down the right field line.
The series will conclude tomorrow afternoon at Ronken Field with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
