GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

FAYETTE, IOWA – Southwest Minnesota State opened its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference season sweeping a doubleheader over Upper Iowa on Saturday afternoon.  SMSU won the opener 6-3 in 11 innings and then won the nightcap 6-2.

SMSU is now 12-5 overall, 2-0 NSIC, while UIU drop to 7-14 overall, 3-3 NSIC.

In game two, Aaron Johnson tossed his fourth career complete game, allowing just four hits and one earned run, while recording a career-high nine strikeouts to improve to 2-1 on the season. 

Brian Ness finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ben Korger and Kyle Young also each collected two hits.

SMSU opened the scoring in the first as Korger led off with a double and scored on a ground out by Adam Thygesen. 

UIU tied the game in the bottom of the first, scoring an unearned run on a bad throw by Johnson on a steal attempt of third base.

The Mustang would regain the lead in the fourth as Thygesen doubled and scored on a single by Ness.  Young followed with a double to move Ness to third base, before Tyler Flattum hit a sac fly to build a 3-1 lead.  Following a ground out, Mark Hanson came through with a two-out single to extend the lead to 4-1. 

SMSU pushed the lead to 6-1 in the fifth inning, again using clutch two-out hitting.  Ness started the scoring with a two-out double scoring Korger, while Young came through with an RBI single to score Ness.

In game one, UIU held a 2-0 lead after five innings before SMSU rallied with single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. 

Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the sixth, Ness and Young walked, before Jon Ellis singled to load the bases.  Flattum then singled to right field to scoring Ness, but Young was thrown out the plate attempting to score the tying run.

In the seventh, pinch-hitter Mark Hanson led off with a hit by pitch and moved to third on a single by Doug Mead.  Korger then tied the game with sac fly scoring pinch-runner Chris Eichten.  

The game remained tied until the 11th inning before SMSU was able to push across four runs with two outs to earn the victory.  With runners on first and second with two outs, Ben Korger delivered a two-run double to snap the tie.  Adam Thygesen then followed with a two-run homer, his second of the season, to extend the lead to 6-2. 

Nate Dickhausen started for SMSU and tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on nine hits with one strikeout and one walk.  Corby McGlauflin was outstanding in relief, earning the victory pitching four no-hit innings allowing an unearned run with two strikeouts and three walks to improve to 1-1.

Thygesen finished the game with two hits and two RBIs, while Korger ended the game with three RBIs. 

Southwest Minnesota State and Upper Iowa will conclude the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.