> Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State scored seven unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings to rally for a 9-6 victory over Concordia-St. Paul on Friday night at the Tucson Invitational at the Kino Sports Complex.
SMSU's freshmen came up big in the game as
Cole VanderBeek and
Noah Bluth each finished with three hits, while
Shane Sellner recorded four RBIs.
SMSU jumped on the board early pushing across two runs in the top of the first.
Brian Redemske led off with a single and moved to second on a walk to
Patrick Rients. Following a wild pitch,
Austin Stubbs hit an infield RBI single to score SMSU's first run. Bluth later smacked an RBI single to right field to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage.
CU scored a single run in the third and took the lead with four runs in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.
SMSU answered with a big seventh inning, taking advantage of an error and wild CU pitching. The Mustangs scored four runs on just one hit, using three walks and a hit batter to regain the lead. VanderBeek and Redemske walked to begin the inning, before Rients hit into a fielder's choice that turned into a throwing error allowing VanderBeek to score. Following a strikeout,
Jarred Carlson was hit by a pitch to load the bases and moments later Sellner walked on four pitches to cut the deficit to 5-4. Bluth then came through with an infield single to score Rients and tie the game, before
Brandan Alfson pushed across another run with a fielder's choice and give the Mustangs a 6-5 lead.
After scoreless inning by CU in the seventh, SMSU added to its lead in the eighth with a clutch two-out hit. With one out, Redemske singled and was followed by back-to-back walks to Rients and Stubbs. After a strikeout, Sellner came through with a bases-clearing double to center field to extend the lead to 9-5.
Joe Axelson started for SMSU and lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks.
Cameron Knudson (1-0) was solid in relief, tossing 4 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits with two strikeouts.
Southwest Minnesota State closes its 12-game Arizona trip on Saturday morning taking on Bemidji State starting at 11 CDT.
