GAME 1 BOX | GAME 2 BOX

MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State remained in eighth place in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference standings with a split versus Northern State on Saturday, winning the opener 11-5, before NSU earned a 24-13 victory in game two. SMSU led 9-7 after four innings in game two, but NSU scored 17 straight runs to earn the victory.
 
SMSU's Patrick Rients was the bright spot in game two as he belted a two-run homer in the seventh inning for his 17^th of the season, tying a program single-season record.
 
SMSU, which had its season-long seven winning streak snapped in the nightcap, is 24-21 overall, 15-14 NSIC, and remains a half-game ahead of Bemidji State in the NSIC standings. BSU split a twinbill versus Minot State on Saturday. SMSU can clinch a spot in the eight-team NSIC tournament with two wins on Sunday or one win and one BSU loss.
 
NSU, which had its 10-game winning streak stopped following the game one loss, is now 28-15, 21-11 NSIC.
 
The two teams conclude the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
 
SMSU started game one quickly as Ben Korger drilled a double and was followed moments later by an RBI single by Jordon Kontz to stake the Mustangs to a 1-0 lead.
 
NSU tied the game with a run in the second, but SMSU quickly regained the lead as Brandan Alfson doubled to lead off the second and later scored on a wild pitch by NSU starter Colton Boucher.
 
The Wolves answered in the top of the third to take its first lead of the game as Robbie Rocamora belted a 2-run home run – his team leading eighth of the season to give NSU a 3-2 advantage.
 
The NSU lead didn't last long as SMSU put together a huge inning to build a 9-3 lead. Korger walked to start the rally before Kontz was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Patrick Rients then cleared the bases with a three-run homer – his team-leading 16^th of the season – to put SMSU back in front 5-3. SMSU wasn't finished as Austin Stubbs and Jon Ellis hit back-to-back singles and two batters later Sam Haas beat out a bunt single to score Stubbs and make the score 6-3. Following a hit by pitch to load the bases, Korger worked a bases loaded walk to score another run, before Kontz cracked a two-run single to right field to extend the lead to 9-3.
 
SMSU added two more runs in the fourth as Stubbs and Ellis hit back-to-back solo homers to make the score 11-3.
 
The run support was plenty for SMSU starter Mitch Wurm (5-3) who defeated NSU for the second time this season. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Wurm left the game with two outs in the seventh after taking a line drive off his leg.
 
Kontz, Stubbs and Ellis all finished with two hits apiece for SMSU, which ended the game with 10 hits.
 
In game two, the Wolves jumped on Mustang starter Jimmy Callahan in the second inning, scoring three runs, including two-run homer, to build a 3-0 lead.
 
SMSU cut into the lead in the bottom of the second as Ellis connected on a solo homer over the right field fence to make the score 3-1.
 
SMSU then took its first lead of the game in the home half of the fourth with four runs on four hits. Korger started the inning with a double and Kontz followed with a hit by pitch. Consecutive RBI singles by Rients and Stubbs tied the game at 3-3, before Ellis walked to load the bases. Brandan Alfson hit into a 6-4-3 double play to score another run, before Haas capped the inning with a double off the center field wall to give SMSU a 5-3 advantage.
 
NSU countered with its own big inning to regain the lead scoring a run on a sac fly before Clayton Nutting smacked a two-out, three-run homer to give the Wolves a 7-5 lead.
 
SMSU wouldn't quit and came right back with another four-run inning to retake the lead. With one out, Korger doubled and Kontz followed with a two-run homer to tie the game at 7-7. Following a strikeout, Stubbs blasted a homer off the batters' eye in centerfield to give the Mustangs an 8-7 lead. Sam Haas would later add an RBI bunt single to make the score 9-7.
 
SMSU couldn't hold the lead as NSU came back again with big inning scoring two runs in the fifth to tie the game at 9-9 and then added two more runs in the sixth off of SMSU reliever Ryan Ecalbarger to build an 11-9 lead after six innings. The Wolves then scored 13 runs on five hits and two SMSU errors in the seventh to put the game away.
 
The Mustangs scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh on a Jarred Carlson RBI single, Rients' two-run homer and an RBI double by Kontz.
 
SMSU allowed 11 walks and 14 hits in game two, while the Mustangs recorded 16 hits with Kontz and Haas each finishing with three each.
 
Callahan earned a no decision, pitching six innings allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Ecalbarger (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs, three hits and three walks in one inning of relief.