BOX SCORE

TUCSON, Ariz. – Minot State smacked 16 hits and took advantage of six walks and four hit batters by Southwest Minnesota State pitching to earn a 15-7 non-conference victory on Saturday at the Kino Sports Complex. SMSU led 7-6 after five and a half innings, but MISU answered with the game's final nine runs to earn the win.

It was the final game for SMSU during its 12-game spring trip, finishing with an 8-4 record. SMSU is now 9-7 overall, while MISU improves to 5-6.

SMSU also ended the game with 16 hits with Ben Korger, Jordon Kontz and Jon Ellis all finishing with three hits apiece.

SMSU started the scoring quickly as Korger crushed a double off the left field fence to open the game and later scored on a sac fly by Ellis.

MISU answered with a run in the first and two more in the second to build a 3-1 advantage.

SMSU cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third as Ellis brought home Korger – who doubled to lead off the inning – with single down the right field line. The Mustangs continued the comeback and regained the lead with a three-run third inning. Brandan Alfson and Sam Haas started the rally with singles and moved to second and third following a sac bunt by Ryan Engels. Jarred Carlson then hit an RBI ground out to tie the game at 3-3. Korger then smacked an RBI single to give SMSU the lead and two batters later came into score on a run-scoring single by Ellis to make the score 5-3.

The Beavers didn't trail for long and took the lead back in the bottom of the fourth pushing across three runs on three hits to make the score 6-5.

SMSU had its own response in the top of the fifth to go back on top. Patrick Rients ripped a triple to start the frame and scored one batter later on a double by Alfson. Engels then scored Alfson with a sac fly to put the Mustangs on top 7-6.

The lead changed hands again the bottom of the sixth as MISU used a clutch two-out, two-run single to take the lead at 8-7. The Beavers then put the game away with a six-run seventh inning to push the margin to 14-7 and never looked back.

Mitch Wurm started for SMSU and pitched four-plus innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with two walks and hit two batters. Brandyn Olson (0-2) the third of six SMSU pitchers used in the game suffered the loss, giving up a run and a hit, while walking two batters.

Southwest Minnesota State will return to action next Saturday, March 22, to open a four-game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference home-and-home series versus Minnesota State University. Saturday's doubleheader is scheduled in Mankato, while the Sunday, March 23, twinbill is set for Alumni Field in Marshall.