BOX SCORE

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Ashland University (Ohio) scored three runs in the top of ninth inning to snap a 4-4 tie and spoil Southwest Minnesota State's last game of its annual Florida trip with a 7-4 victory in Auburndale, Fla.

The loss snapped SMSU's two-game winning streak and finishes its season-opening trip with a 3-5 record. The Mustangs also had two games canceled due to rain.

SMSU started the game strong and jumped to a 3-0 lead after five innings behind strong pitching from starter Aaron Johnson.

Doug Mead started the game for SMSU with a double and came around to score on a fielder's choice ground out by Tyler Fayden. SMSU made the score 2-0 in the third as Cody Curry smacked a run-scoring single to score Mead, who earlier had doubled.

The Mustangs extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth on a two-out single by Andy Williamson to score Chris Eichten.

Ashland (8-2), a 2010 NCAA tournament qualifier, answered in the top of the sixth by pushing across four runs on five hits to take a one-lead into the home half of the sixth.

SMSU quickly answered in the bottom of the inning as Curry coaxed a two-out bases loaded walk to tie the game at 4-4, but SMSU was unable to regain the lead leaving the bases loaded following a ground out.

The Mustangs struggled to pick up the big hit late in the game and finished the contest leaving 12 runners on base. SMSU put the lead-off runner on base on the fifth, sixth, seven and eighth innings, but only scored one run.

Ashland nearly took the lead in the top of the eighth but SMSU left fielder Chris Eichten fired a perfect throw to the plate on a single to gun down the potential go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the eighth, Andy Williamson started a rally by getting hit by a pitch. With one out, pinch runner Josh Wendland moved to second base following a single to left field by Adam Thygesen, but a fly out and ground out ended the Mustang threat.

Ashland then snapped the tie plating three runs, two unearned, to build a 7-4 lead and then retired SMSU in order in the bottom of the ninth.

Johnson pitched 5.2 innings, allowing six hits, four runs and one walk, while striking out four. Derek Skovbroten, the third of four Mustang pitchers, suffered the loss, pitching two innings and allowing three runs, one earned.

Mead led the SMSU offense finishing 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Eichten and Thygesen each finished with two hits.

SMSU continues non-conference action next weekend with a four-game series versus NSIC-foe Winona State in Whitewater, Wis., on March 19-20. The series was originally scheduled for the Metrodome in Minneapolis, but was moved due to the facility's collapsed roof.