GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

MARSHALL, Minn. - Wayne State scored an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Southwest Minnesota State 3-2 in game one and then rallied from a three-run deficit in game two, with a pair of clutch two-out hits, to earn a 6-3 victory and sweep a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Monday. 

The Wildcats, after losing the first game of the series on Sunday, won the final three games of the four-game set.

SMSU drops to 21-16 overall, 11-11 NSIC with the two losses, while WSC improves to 25-13 overall, 16-8 NSIC.

In the opener, SMSU opened the scoring in the second inning as Kyle Young doubled and later scored on a run-scoring single by Tyler Flattum.

WSC took the lead in the fourth, hitting a home run to tie the game and then pushed across another run with a sac fly to take a 2-1 lead.

SMSU answered back and tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Adam Thygesen and Chris Eichten started the inning with back-to-back singles.  Following a fly out, the Mustangs tied the game on a fielder's choice RBI by Jon Ellis.

The game remained tied until the seventh inning when WSC was able to score the game-winning run.  Luke Abkes started the inning with a single off of SMSU reliever Corby McGlauflin.  A sac bunt moved pinch runner Michael Servais to second base, before Justin Beranek hit a ground ball to Thygesen at second base, but the ball snuck through his legs for an error, allowing the go-ahead run to score.

Ellis started the bottom of the seventh with a single for SMSU and moved to second on a Flattum sac bunt, but a ground out and strikeout ended the game. 

Thygesen and Eichten each had two hits of SMSU's seven hits.

Ben Bartling started for the Mustangs and pitched five innings, allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and one strikeout.  McGlauflin (2-3) suffered the loss allowing one unearned run and one hit in two innings of work.

In game two, Flattum reached base in the second inning with a two-out walk and moved to third on a double by Jeff Watson.  Flattum then scored hustled home on a wild pitch to give SMSU a 1-0 lead.

Flattum then came through with the bat in the fourth inning, lifting a two-run homer over the left field fence to push the lead to 3-0.

SMSU starter Aaron Johnson held WSC scoreless until the sixth, before WSC answered back to take the lead.  The Wildcats put together two hits and two walks to cut the lead to 3-1 and forcing Johnson out of the game with one out and the bases loaded.  Derek Skovbroten entered the game and induced an RBI ground out to first base that cut the lead to 3-2, before WSC's Beranek came through with a two-run single to give WSC a 4-3 lead.

The Wildcats extended the lead in the seventh with another two-out, two-run single to make the score 6-3.

SMSU had a chance to cut into the lead in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but WSC closer Jared Barth struck out Flattum to end the threat.

Johnson (2-5), one of five SMSU pitchers, took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits with five walks and two strikeouts.

SMSU finished the game with just six hits, with Ellis leading the way with two hits and Flattum adding two runs scored and two RBIs.

The Mustangs conclude their eight-game homestand on Wednesday afternoon with another key conference doubleheader versus Minnesota Duluth starting at 1:30.