MARSHALL, Minn. – The University of Mary scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning to earn a 3-2 victory in Game 2 on Saturday to earn a split of a doubleheader in Marshall.  SMSU won the opener 8-3 behind Adam Schrader's season-high nine strikeouts.

SMSU, ranked eighth in the latest NCAA region rankings, is now 24-16 overall, 20-10 NSIC, while UMary is 18-22 overall, 12-14 NSIC.  The Mustangs could've wrapped up a spot in next week's NSIC tournament in St. Cloud with a victory in game two.  SMSU can clinch a spot with one victory on Sunday.

In the opener, Schrader struck out a season-high nine batters to earn the victory and improve to 5-3 on the season.  The right-hander, making his final Alumni Field start, tossed eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits, while walking one and hitting one.

Matt Bauer paced the SMSU offense going 2 for 4 with two runs scored, including belting his seventh home run of the season.  

SMSU batted around in the bottom of the first inning taking advantage of wild pitch by UMary pitcher Matt Medeiros.   The Mustangs pushed across four runs on three hits, two hit by pitches and one walk.  Kinney started the scoring with an RBI single, before Tyler Fayden was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  Brian Ness made it 3-0 with a run-scoring single, before Chris Eichten made it 4-0 with a fielder's choice.

Mary made it 4-1 in the third inning on a solo home run by Jeremy Campbell.

SMSU extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth as Tyler Jendro stole home on the back end of a double steal.  SMSU added a run in the sixth inning as Jendro led off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Bobby Zellman.  With two outs, Cody Curry smacked an RBI single, SMSU's first hits since the first inning, to make it 6-1.

Bauer made it 7-1 with a solo homer in the sevent, before SMSU added another run in the eighth on a double play grounder.

In Game 2, the Mustang scored the game's first run in the opening inning.  With one out, Curry and Kinney singled to put runners on first and third.  Bauer then hit into a fielder's choice to score Curry and give SMSU a 1-0 lead.

SMSU made it 2-0 in the third inning with a two-out rally, behind a Curry double and an RBI single by Kinney.

The Marauders answered in the top of the fourth on a two-run homer by Steve Pletan to tie the game at 2-2.

The Mustangs put together a threat in the fourth, as Fayden and Eichten singled to begin the inning, but a fly out and a double play ended the inning.

From then on it was all UMary starting pitcher Kyle Lozensky, who tossed a complete game to earn the victory, allowing six hits, two runs and zero walks, while striking out four.  Lozensky tossed 86 pitches in the, including 62 for strikes.  Lozensky retired the final 11 SMSU batters he faced.

In the seventh inning, the Marauders took the lead on a double over the head of SMSU center fielder Derick Swenson to score Tyler Steffan from first base on a close play at the plate.

Curry and Kinney each had two of SMSU's six hits. 

Jared Pick started for SMSU and pitched five innings, allowing six hits, two runs and no walks, while striking out two UMary batters.  Tyler Paulson suffered the loss pitching the final two innings.

The two teams will conclude the regular season on Sunday afternoon with a 12 p.m. doubleheader at Alumni Field for Senior Day.