TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State committed six errors, leading to seven unearned runs, as Dickinson State (N.D.) held on to earn a 12-8 victory on Monday in Tucson, Ariz.

SMSU (3-7-1), now winless in its last six games, finished with 11 hits, including three for extra bases, while DSU (7-6) collected nine hits.  

A young Mustang starting line-up, which featured three sophomores and four freshmen, trailed 9-4 heading into the eighth inning before nearly rallying to tie the game.

Nick Tillo led the SMSU offense with three hits, while Jarred Carlson and Jason Minnet each added two hits.  Mason Schnaible, Sam Haas and Carlson all finished with two RBIs.

Taylor Klingenberg (0-1), making his first career start, suffered the loss, allowing eight runs, five earned, on six hits with one strikeout and three walks in 4.2 innings.

DSU struck for two runs in the second to take an early lead, before SMSU answered in the third on a sac fly by Haas and a run-scoring double by Carlson. 

The Blue Hawks added a run in the third and three more in the fourth to build a 6-2 lead.

SMSU cut into the deficit in the fifth as Haas was hit by a pitch and came around to score on an RBI double by Josh Hanson.  Following a single by Tillo, Carlson hit a sac fly to score Hanson and make the score 6-4.

DSU quickly answered and scored two runs in the fifth and then added an unearned run in the seventh to push the lead to 9-4.

SMSU made a comeback attempt in the eighth, as Steven Kremer walked and moved to second on a single by Minett.  Schnaible ripped a two-run double to make the score 9-6, before scoring on a single by Tanner Neale to cut the DSU lead to 9-7.  A pair of wild pitches moved Neale to third, before Haas grounded out to score Neale and trim the lead to 9-8.

DSU picked up huge insurance runs in the eighth, taking advantage of a pair of SMSU errors to tack on three runs and build a 12-8 lead heading into the ninth.  SMSU threatened in the ninth, loading the bases with one out on three hits, but a strike out and line out ended the game.

Southwest Minnesota State looks to rebound tomorrow taking on Minot State at 12 p.m. CDT for a single nine-inning game.  MISU defeated SMSU twice on Sunday, 6-4 and 3-1.