SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Tanner Neale snapped a 9-9 tie in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double to help lead Southwest Minnesota State to a come-from-behind 11-9 victory over Minnesota Duluth in game two of a doubleheader on Saturday. 

UMD (3-17, 3-3 NSIC) won game one 17-6 and finished the two games racking up 35 combined hits but no home runs.  SMSU totaled 24 hits in the two games and belted six home runs.

In game two, SMSU (8-14-1, 3-5 NSIC) trailed 9-8 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Nick Tillo led off the frame with a tremendous nine-pitch at bat, fouling off seven pitches, before belting a game-tying home run over the left field fence.  Ryan Engels then was hit by a pitch to put the go-ahead run on base, before Neale drilled the first-pitch from UMD relief pitcher John Meyer down the left field line to score Engels for the go-ahead run.  Jon Ellis then capped the inning with an RBI single to push the lead to 11-9.

Corby McGlauflin pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his second save of the season.

Landon Gacke (1-1) picked up the victory allowing one run on two hits with two strikeouts in two innings.

UMD jumped on SMSU early, plating five runs on six hits to build an early 5-0 lead off of SMSU starter Travis McGlauflin.

The Mustangs rallied in the home half of the second with one out as Carlson, Nick Tillo and Engels all reached on infield singles to load the bases.  Following a sac fly by Neale, Korger smacked a three-run homer to left field to cut the deficit to 5-4.

SMSU took its first lead of the game in the fourth inning scoring three unearned runs.  Korger tied the game with an RBI single, before Jordon Kontz and Ness followed with back-to-back run-scoring doubles to give SMSU a 7-5 advantage.

UMD rallied with a three-run sixth to retake an 8-7 lead, but SMSU quickly tied it in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Ellis. 

The game stayed tied until the eighth when UMD regained the lead on a two-out bloop single scoring the runner all the way from first base to make the score 9-8, before SMSU's late-rally.

The Mustangs finished game two with 12 hits with Korger leading the way going 2 for 4 with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Tillo and Ellis each finished with two hits. 

Travis McGlauflin earned a no-decision pitching 5.1 innings giving up 14 hits and seven runs, but set a career-high with seven strikeouts and no walks.

In the opener, UMD jumped to an early lead in the top of the first, taking advantage of two walks, one error and using two hits to score three runs.

The Bulldogs added to the lead in the second, using three SMSU errors to score six unearned runs and build a 9-0 lead after two innings.

SMSU cut into the lead the in the third as Korger – following single by Steven Kremer and Engels – belted a three-run home run over the left-center field fence to make the score 9-3.  It was the first career home run for Korger.

UMD added a run in the fourth to push the margin to 10-3, before SMSU rallied with two runs in the sixth on solo home runs by Kyle Young and Jarred Carlson to make the score 10-5.

The Bulldogs then blew the game open with a seven-run seventh inning, scoring all the runs with two outs.

Brian Ness, Young, Kremer and Engels all finished with two hits for SMSU in the opener.  UMD finished the game with 17 hits.

Steven Wehr (0-2) suffered the loss allowing nine runs, two earned, on five hits in 1.2 innings.  Ryan Ecalbarger tossed 4.1 innings in relief, giving up just one run on six hits with one strikeout.

The two teams conclude the four-game series tomorrow afternoon in Sioux Falls with a twin bill starting at 12 p.m.



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