GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Steven Kremer drilled a two-run go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to help lead Southwest Minnesota State to a 7-6 victory over Northern State on Saturday night and complete a twin bill sweep for SMSU. The Mustangs won the opener 3-2 behind a strong pitching effort from Steven Wehr.
SMSU with the two victories improves to 12-22-1 overall, 7-13 NSIC, and kept its NSIC tournament hopes alive. NSU drops to 13-23, 6-16 NSIC, and has now lost 12 straight games.
In the opener, Wehr (1-3) pitched into the seventh inning (the longest outing of his career), allowing six hits, two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and two walks to pick up the victory.
NSU scored the game's first run in the fourth inning on a two-out fielding error, but SMSU quickly answered in the top of the fifth.
NSU starting pitcher Nathan Nietfeld retired the first 12 batters of the game, but Kyle Young started the rally in the fifth for the Mustangs with a leadoff single to left field. Steven Kremer followed with a double to left-center field to tie the game and later scored on a throwing error by the NSU catcher to give SMSU the lead. Tanner Neale capped the scoring with a sac fly to score Ryan Engels and push the margin to 3-1.
Wehr started the seventh inning, but allowed back-to-back singles before being relieved by Corby McGlauflin. The SMSU closer ended the game with a ground out, strikeout and ground out to seal the victory for SMSU and pick up his third save of the season.
SMSU was held to just three hits in the opener.
In game two, SMSU jumped out to an early lead in the first inning behind a two-run double by Kremer and a fielder's choice by Jason Minett to build a 3-0 lead.
NSU scored on a two-out throwing error in the bottom of the first to trim the lead to 3-1, but SMSU answered in the third. Young and Kremer started the inning with back-to-back doubles, putting runners on second and third, before Minett gave SMSU a 4-1 lead with a sac fly. SMSU failed to add to the lead with a ground out and pop out with a runner on third base.
The Wolves came back in a big way in the bottom of the third, using three walks, a hit by batter and an SMSU error to score four runs and take a 5-4 lead. NSU then pushed across another run in the fourth off of SMSU relief pitcher Eric Giddings to make the score 6-4.
It remained 6-4 until the seventh when SMSU rallied to take the lead with a three-run rally. Jon Ellis and Jordon Kontz started the inning with singles and both moved up on a sac bunt by Brian Ness. Young lifted a sac fly to left field to score Ellis, before Kremer stepped to the plate and drilled a two-run homer down the right field line to give SMSU a 7-6 lead.
Kontz came into the pitch in the bottom of the seventh – making just his third appearance this season – and tossed 2 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits with two strikeouts. Kontz allowed a one-out double in the ninth ending his night, as McGlauflin came on to close the game out. McGlauflin struck out the first batter he faced, below allowing a single to put runners on the corners. McGlauflin coaxed a fly out for the game's final out and secure his second save of the day.
SMSU collected 10 hits in the nightcap with Kontz finishing 4 for 5 with a pair of runs scored. Kremer went 3 for 4 with four RBIs, while Ellis added two hits and two runs scored.
Colton Smit started for SMSU and did not allowing a hit in 2 2/3 innings, but he walked four and hit a batter, while allowing five runs (zero earned).
Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Bemidji State.
