GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

MARSHALL, Minn. - Brian Ness finished 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs to help lead Southwest Minnesota State to an 11-6 victory in game one of a doubleheader versus Minnesota Duluth on a windy day in Marshall. 

Minnesota Duluth won the nightcap 21-8, using a 12-run second inning to build a 15-2 lead.  SMSU cut the margin to 15-8 after three innings, but was not able to score again.

The split keeps SMSU in sixth place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference standings, with the top six qualifying for the postseason conference tournament. 

In the opener, Bryce Rippentrop (3-3) tossed 5.1 innings of relief to earn the victory, allowing just one run on five hits, while walking three and striking out two.

With a strong wind-blowing straight out, UMD was able to take advantage of a wind-blown double to score two runs in the first inning off of SMSU starter Colton Smit, who was making his first career start.

SMSU answered in the home half of the frame pushing across two runs to tie the game.  Chris Eicthen worked a one-out walk and came around to score on a double in the right-center field gap by Ness.  Ness would later score on a bases loaded balk call.

UMD put together three runs on four hits in the second to build a 5-2 lead and chasing Smit, who lasted just 1.2 innings, giving five runs on six hits with one strikeout and one walk.

The Mustangs answered back to take their first lead of the game with a four-run second inning.  With one out, Ben Kroger double and scored one batter later on a Jon Ellis double down the right field line.  Following an infield single by Eichten, Ness belted his team-leading fourth homer of the season to give SMSU a 6-5 lead.

UMD tied the game with a solo homer to lead off the third, but Rippentrop wouldn't allow a run to score again and the Mustang offense took advantage.

SMSU regained the lead adding two runs in the fourth on an Adam Thygesen sac fly and a two-out RBI single by Jordon Kontz to build an 8-6 lead.  The Mustangs then put the game away with a three-run fifth inning.

Pinch runner Ryan Engels scored the inning's first run on a wild pitch, before Eichten delivered an RBI single and Thygesen capped the scoring with an RBI single down the left field line to make the score 11-6.

Eichten finished the opener 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Korger was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. 

In game two, UMD scored three runs with two outs in the top of the first to take an early 3-0 lead off of SMSU starter Nate Dickhausen (2-1).

SMSU rallied in the first on a double by Ellis and a single by Eicten to put runners on the corners.  Ness pushed across the first run with an RBI ground out, before Eicten came around to score on a sac bunt by Kontz to make the score 3-2.

The Bulldogs then came through in a big way in the second inning, scoring 12 runs on 10 hits and facing four SMSU pitchers. 

With a strong wind blowing out, SMSU wouldn't go away and made it a game once again putting together six unanswered runs. 

Korger plated the first run of the second inning with an RBI double, before Eichten smacked a single to score Korger and cut the lead to 15-4.  Thygesen would later come through with a two-out RBI base hit to plate Eichten and make the score 15-5.

Following a scoreless third inning for UMD, SMSU cut into the lead with a two-run homer by Flattum and would score another run on a fielding error by UMD to trim the deficit to 15-8.

Both team's pitching staffs were able to settle down after the third, with two UMD relief pitcher able to shutout SMSU the rest of the way.  The Bulldogs scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 17-8 lead, before closing the game with four runs in the ninth inning.

Dickhausen, one of eight Mustang pitchers, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 1.1 innings. 

SMSU relief pitcher Calvin Kosminskas, a member of the Mustang football the past five seasons, made his pitching debut and tossed 1.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run.

Today's doubleheader marked the first time UMD has played in Marshall since April of 2000. 

Southwest Minnesota State returns to action this weekend with a home-and-home four-game series versus league-leader and the region's No. 1 ranked team Minnesota State, Mankato.  Saturday's doubleheader is slated for a 1:30 p.m. start in Mankato, while Sunday's doubleheader will also start at 1:30 p.m. at Alumni Field in Marshall.