GAME ONE BOX
GAME TWO BOX
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Southwest Minnesota State completed a four-game NSIC sweep on Sunday sweeping a doubleheader from Northern State in Sioux Falls, S.D. SMSU won the opener 13-2 and took game two 12-0.
SMSU (8-6, 4-0 NSIC) finished the four game series outscoring NSU 54-5 and now has scored 10 or more runs in six of its last seven games.
Jared Pick picked up the victory in the opener tossing six-plus innings, recording a career-high nine strikeouts, while allowing one earned run and four hits and walking one.
Adam Thygesen, Derick Swenson, Brian Ness and Tyler Fayden all finished the game with two hits apiece.
Northern State (3-20, 0-8 NSIC) starting pitcher Blaze Hanson retired the first seven batters of the game and struck out SMSU's eighth batter Josh Wendland, but Wendland reached base on a wild pitch for the Mustangs' first base runner of the game. Bobby Zellman followed with a single before Swenson cleared the bases with his third home run of the season to stake SMSU to a 3-0 lead.
NSU cut the lead to 3-2 with a pair of fourth inning runs, but SMSU answered by taking advantage an NSU error to score eight runs, including seven unearned runs. Wendland hit a sac fly for the inning's first run, before Zellman added an RBI ground out to make the score 5-2 with two outs in the inning. SMSU wasn't finished as the next four batters reached, including a two-run single by Brian Ness. Following back-to-back walks to Andrew Kinney and Matt Bauer, Fayden then stepped up and cracked a grand slam over the left field wall to extend the SMSU lead to 11-2.
Thygesen finished the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh to end the game early due to 10-run rule.
In game two, Swenson tied an SMSU single-game record with three doubles, while Cody Curry collected three hits as well to lead the Mustang charge. Ness, Wendland and Chris Eichten each chipped in with two hits each.
Alex Alvarez earned his first collegiate victory, tossing five shutout innings with six strikeouts, while allowing three hits and two walks.
The Mustangs once again scored early and often, pushing across seven first-inning runs. Swenson led the inning off with a double, while Cody Curry singled and Andrew Kinney walked to load the bases. Bauer then crushed a grand slam over the right field wall to give SMSU a 4-0 lead. Ness later made it 5-0 with an RBI single, while Andy Williamson laid down a sac bunt for another run. Wendland scored the inning's final run stealing third base and coming home on an error by the catcher.
SMSU added an unearned run in the third and then put the game away with four runs in the fifth inning on a two-run double by Swenson and a two-run single by Curry.
Southwest Minnesota State will continue NSIC action next Thursday, April 1, taking on nationally-ranked Minnesota State in Mankato, to start a key conference series. The series will conclude on Friday, April 2, in Marshall at Alumni Field.
