BOX SCORE

TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State opened a tight game exploding for eight runs in the top of the seventh inning to earn a 16-6 victory over Southern Vermont on Monday afternoon in Tucson, Ariz. 

SMSU (3-2) cracked out 13 hits and took advantage of four SVC (0-6) errors to snap a two-game losing streak.

Brian Ness paced SMSU with a pair of hits and three RBIs, while Adam Thygesen, Jordon Kontz and Jon Ellis all added two hits and two RBIs.  Ben Korger also added a pair of hits, while Thygesen and Kontz both scored three times.

Brandan Alfson picked up the victory in relief, tossing 2.2 innings allowing two unearned runs and three hits with one strikeout.  Ben Bartling started for the Mustangs and pitched 3.1 innings allowing four runs on six hits.

SMSU scored two runs in the first inning and then plated across a single run in the third on an RBI double by Tyler Flattum.

SMSU pushed across three more runs in the fourth on RBI doubles by Thygesen, Kontz and Ness to make the score 6-0.

The Mountaineers chased Bartling in the fourth, scoring four runs, but SMSU made the score 8-4 in the sixth as Tanner Neale scored on a wild pitch and Ness delivered a sac fly.

SVC scored two unearned runs in the sixth to keep the game tight at 8-6, but SMSU put the game away in the seventh with eight runs on seven hits. 

SMSU continues action at 3 p.m. CST today taking on William Penn (Iowa) in a nine-inning game.