BOX SCORE: Game 1 | Game 2
MOORHEAD, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State pushed across an unearned run in the top of the 14th inning to earn a 5-4 victory in 14 innings over MSU Moorhead in game one of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader. SMSU took a convincing 7-0 decision in game two to sweep the doubleheader.
Game 1 | SMSU 5-4 (14)
SMSU was first to hit the scoreboard as
Chelsey Rodenkirch blasted a solo home run in the top of the third. It was Rodenkirch's fourth home run and 16th RBI this season -- both marking career highs.
SMSU continued to put runs on the board in the third when the Mustangs received a pair of RBI two-out hits from
Elissa Reinsma and
Katelyn Kalkman to make it 3-0. Rodenkirch grounded out to leave the bases full.
Rachel Hoeppner cruised through the middle innings but MSUM presented a threat in the fifth. The Dragons' Kristina Villalobos led off the inning with a double but the Dragons couldn't score her as she was tagged out in a run down following a fielder's choice.
The Dragons inched back with a run in the sixth when Kristen Nordby roped a double to right to score Morgan Nybo. Down 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, MSUM scored two runs on three hits to tie the game and send it to extras. Mollie Annen and Taylor Huss doubled in the inning – Huss' the game-tying RBI that scored Hannah Klug from first.
Kaley Scearcy put the Mustangs up 4-3 in the top of the ninth with an RBI double to left center, but SMSU couldn't hold the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
MSUM led off the inning with a single and a sacrifice bunt moved the tying run to second. Brittany York singled to left to bring home the tying run.
In the 14th inning,
Kasey Eichten started the game-winning rally with a pinch hit single and later moved to third on a wild pitch and a sac bunt. With two outs, Eichten came across to score on an error by the MSUM shortstop to give SMSU a 5-4 lead.
MSUM put together a rally in the bottom of the inning, but Hoeppner coaxed a ground out with runners on the corners to seal the victory.
Hoeppner tossed all 14 innings, allowing four runs on 16 hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
Reinsma led a 15-hit SMSU attack with four hits, while Scearcy adding three hits.
Game 2 | SMSU 7-0
SMSU ramped up the offense as the Mustangs scored five runs in the sixth inning to break the game open. Starting pitcher
Alex O'Connor was fantastic for the Mustangs as she threw a four-hit complete game shutout to secure a sweep for SMSU.
Reinsma backed up her four-hit game in game one with two more hits and two RBIs in game two. Scearcy and
Jazmyne Neely also recorded two hits in the game for the Mustangs. SMSU got RBIs from Reinsma, Neely, Eichten, and
Karmann Carroll.
SMSU (14-29-1, 11-16-1) will wrap-up the 2014 season tomorrow with a doubleheader with Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D.