TUCSON, Ariz. – Minot State used a pair of late inning rallies to sweep a non-conference doubleheader from Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday in Tucson, Ariz.  MISU won by scores of 6-4 and 3-1.

SMSU drops to 3-6-1 overall, while MISU is now 5-2 on the season.

In the opener, Minot State pushed across two runs in the sixth inning and held on for the victory.

SMSU finished game one with six hits, with Brian Ness leading the team with two hits, including one double and a run scored.

SMSU starting pitcher Steven Wehr struggled with his control and the Beavers were able to take advantage, using two walks and two wild pitches to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Mustangs answered in the home half of the first putting together a two-out rally.  Brian Ness and Kyle Young each walked with two outs, before Jarred Carlson tied the game with an RBI single.  Two batters later Steven Kremer made the score 3-1 with a two-run single.

Minot State used two more walks and an error in the second to make the score 3-2, before tying the game in the fourth inning, scoring another unearned run to make the score 3-3.

MISU added another run to take its first lead of the game in the fifth, but SMSU was able to answer with a run in the fifth.  Jordon Kontz led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Ness.  Following a fly out, Carlson tied the game with a sac fly to score Kontz, but SMSU left a pair of runners on base to keep the game tied.

The Beavers then pushed across the go-ahead runs in the sixth to regain the lead and earn the victory.

Landon Gacke (0-1) suffered the loss in relief, allowing two runs on two hits in two innings.  Wehr pitched the first three-plus innings, allowing three runs, one earned, on two hits, but walked five and had three wild pitches.

In the nightcap, the Beavers snapped a 1-1 game with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to earn the victory.

SMSU starter Alex Alvarez (0-1) was solid in his first appearance of the season, tossing five-plus innings, allowed three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk.  Dylan Shoemaker tossed the final inning for the Mustangs with one strikeout.

MISU took a 1-0 lead after one inning and held the lead until SMSU pushed across a run in the fifth.  Kremer started the inning with a double and moved to third following a single by Elliot Serbus.  A fielder's choice by Ryan Engels scored pinch-runner Jason Minnet to tie the game at 1-1.  With two outs Engels stole second, but a strikeout ended the threat.

The Beavers regained the lead in bottom of the inning with a one-out triple and throwing error to make the score 2-1. 

SMSU nearly tied the game in the sixth as Kontz led off with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Ness.  Following a fly out and strikeout, pinch hitter Nick Tillo smacked single to center field, but Kontz was thrown out at the plate to keep the score 2-1.  MISU then added an insurance run in the sixth to seal the victory.

SMSU finished the game with seven hits.

Southwest Minnesota State continues play tomorrow with a nine-inning game versus Dickinson State (N.D.) with first pitch set for 12 p.m. CDT.