GAME 1 BOX SCORE
GAME 2 BOX SCORE

MINNEAPOLIS -  Southwest Minnesota State used clutch hitting to earn a sweep over Minnesota Duluth on Thursday night at the Metrodome, winning 5-3 and 8-6.

In the opener, Jordon Kontz finished with two hits and three RBIs to pace SMSU in the come-from-behind victory.  UMD held a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth before SMSU answered with a big three-run fifth inning.

UMD scored the game's first run in the top of the second, but SMSU answered back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.  Tyler Flattum and Mark Hanson opened the inning with singles.  Following a fly out and a ground out to put runners on the corner, Doug Mead hit a grounder to third base that was thrown away allowing Flattum to score.

UMD regained the lead off of SMSU reliever Bryce Rippentrop in the fourth adding a single run and then made it 3-1 with a two-out single in the fifth.

SMSU answered in the home half of the fifth as Mead lead off the inning with a hit by pitch and moved to third on a towering ground-run double by Adam Thygesen.  Jordon Kontz then followed with a two-run double to tie the game at 3-3.  With runners on the corner and two outs, a passed ball scored Kontz to give SMSU its first lead at 4-3.

Kontz then came through again in the sixth inning drilling a two-out run-scoring single to score Ben Korger, who led off the inning with a single, to push the lead to 5-3.

Alex Alvarez came in relief in the top of the seventh and UMD quickly loaded the bases following two singles and a walk.  Alvarez then worked out of the jam coaxing a line-out double play and a fly out to end the game and earn his first career save.

Rippentrop, making his first appearance for SMSU, earned the win tossing three innings and allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts.  Aaron Johnson started for SMSU and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts in three innings.

In the nightcap, Flattum finished 2 for 3 with four RBI, while Brian Ness collected two hits and an RBI.  Kyle Young also had two hits and drove in a run.

SMSU struck early with a pair of runs in the top of the second.  Young and Tyler Flattum hit back-to-back triples and with two outs, Korger came through with a two-out single to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage.

UMD scored a single run in the second and then chased SMSU starter Jeremy Schmidt in the third innings, scoring three runs to build a 4-2 lead.

SMSU trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the fourth on a sac fly by Flattum, scoring Brian Ness who doubled to lead off the inning. 

UMD scored another run on a wild pitch in the fourth to regain a two-run lead, until SMSU rallied with a four-run fifth.  Kontz and Ness each picked up two-out RBI singles to tie the game at 5, before Flattum delivered a two-out bases loaded single down the right field line to score a pair and give SMSU a 7-5 lead.

The  Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on second and third with one out and chasing reliever Stephen Wehr, but Ben Bartling came on and struck out two straight hitters to keep SMSU with a two-run cushion.

UMD cut the lead to 7-6 with a sac fly in the sixth, but SMSU added a key insurance run in the seventh on a two-out RBI double by Young.

Corby McGlauflin pitched a perfect seventh inning to earn his first career save.  Wehr picked up the victory, tossing two innings, allowing one run on one hit.

Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on March 4, beginning a nine-game road trip in Tucson, Ariz.   The Mustangs open the week-long trip taking on Concordia-St. Paul in a non-conference game.