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MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, capped by a two-run walk-off double by
Brandan Alfson, to earn a dramatic come-from-behind 10-9 victory over Northwestern College (Iowa) in game two of a non-conference doubleheader on a windy Friday at Alumni Field. SMSU, which trailed 9-1 in the fifth inning, scored nine unanswered runs in the nightcap to earn a split of today's doubleheader.
Northwestern, which won 42 games last season and played in the NAIA national tournament, won the opener 12-9, holding off a late SMSU comeback attempt.
Today's games were the first home games played by SMSU in Marshall during the month of March since 2005. The games were added this week due to the mild weather the last two weeks in Marshall. The teams will conclude the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader in Orange City, Iowa.
In game two, SMSU trailed 9-6 in the bottom of the seventh before Cole VanderBeek started the rally with a double to right-center field. Ryan Engels was hit by a pitch, before Brian Redemske flew out to right for the first out. Jason Minett walked to load the bases before Patrick Rients hit a two-run single to left-center to cut the deficit to 9-8 and put runners on second and first. Shane Sellner struck out for the second out, before Jarred Carlson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Alfson then ripped a 2-1 pitch over the left fielder's head to score Minett and Rients with the winning runs.
Alfson finished game two 3 for 4 (tying a career-high for hits) with a home runs and four RBIs. Carlson and Redemske both finished with two hits to help lead a 10-hit SMSU attack.
With a strong wind blowing out to left field, Northwestern used a two-run homer and a solo homer to take an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first off of SMSU starter Mitch Wurm.
SMSU cut into the lead in the bottom of the first on a sac fly by Sellner to score Minett.
Zach Cortese gave the Red Raiders a 5-1 lead in the third as he lofted a two-run home run over the left field fence, for his second homer of the game.
The Red Raiders appeared to put the game away in the fourth, using a two-run homer and a two-run double to push the lead to 9-1.
SMSU then started its comeback, trimming the lead to 9-3 in the fifth on a two-run home run by Alfson, before Redemske lead off the sixth with his first career home run to make the score 9-4. Later in the inning, Carlson lofted a ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run—his fourth of the season—to cut the deficit to 9-6 and set up the final inning comeback.
Brandon Woznak (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory, tossing two shutout innings, with four strikeouts, allowing one hit and three walks. He ended the top of the seventh with a bases loaded strikeout to keep SMSU within three runs.
Wurm allowed nine runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and two walks to earn the no-decision.
In the opener, Northwestern collected 18 hits and held off a late SMSU rally to earn the victory.
Northwestern jumped on SMSU starter Jake Matthys in the top of the first with four straight singles to build a 3-0 lead.
SMSU answered in the bottom of the first as Minett blasted a one-out solo home run to right-center field to make the score 3-1.
NWC quickly regained the three-run lead in the top of second with a two-out RBI single to make the score 4-1. The Red Raiders then pushed across four runs on five hits in the top of the third to extend the lead to 8-1 and chase Matthys.
SMSU started a rally in the home half of the third as Rients walked and scored on a double by Austin Stubbs. Carlson then smacked an RBI double to make the score 8-3. The Mustangs later put runners on second and third with no outs, but a strikeout, fly out and another strikeout ended the rally.
SMSU added another run in the fourth as Redemske led off with a walk and moved to second on a fielding error. Rients then connected with an RBI single to make the score 8-4, but again, despite having runners on the corners and no outs, three straight strikeouts ended a chance to cut deeper into the deficit.
NWC extended the lead in the top of the fifth, using three two-out RBI hits to build an 11-4 advantage and then pushed across another run in the sixth to make the score 12-4.
SMSU attempted a rally in the final two innings, scoring five runs and bringing the tying run to the plate in the seventh. Carlson drilled a three-run home run to left field in the sixth to pull SMSU within 12-7, before scoring two more runs in the seventh. Redemske started the rally with a lead-off double and scored moments later on a double by Minett to make the score 12-8. An error and a walk loaded the bases with no outs, but Red Raider relief pitcher Mitch Peschon, the sixth NWC pitcher of the game, recorded a strikeout, a fielder's choice and a pop out to end the game and record the save.
SMSU closed the game with 11 hits, but left 13 runners on base. Carlson led the Mustangs going 2 for 5 and tying a career-high five RBIs. Minett, Rients and Stubbs also all finished with two hits each.
Matthys (0-3) pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Southwest Minnesota State and Northwestern continue the series tomorrow in Orange City, Iowa, with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
