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MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State and Minot State split a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games today at a windy Alumni Field on Sunday, combining for 51 and 71 hits. SMSU rallied in the opener to win 12-7, while MISU held on for an 18-14 victory in game two, to earn a split of the four-game weekend series.

Today's games were played in a steady wind blowing out to left field at 35-40 mph.

SMSU is 9-11 overall, 2-2 NSIC, following the weekend split, while MISU is 6-13 overall, 3-5 NSIC.

In game one, SMSU trailed 7-5 in the sixth inning, before rallying with seven runs on seven hits along two MISU errors to earn the victory. Trailing 7-6 with one out in the frame, Patrick Rients belted a three-run homer over the left field fence to give the Mustangs the lead at 9-7.

Minot State started the scoring early with a lead-off homer in the first, but SMSU answered in the bottom of the second as Shane Sellner drilled a 2-run homer to left field to give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.

The score remained 2-1 until the fourth when the Beavers took advantage of a pair of wind-blown hits and finished scoring four runs on six hits to build a 5-2 lead.

SMSU quickly answered in the bottom of the fourth as Sellner lead off with a single and moved to third on a double by Cole VanderBeek. Jason Minett then followed with a home run over the center field fence—his third long ball of the season—to tie the game at 5-5.

Minot State regained the lead in the top of the fifth with a two-run homer to build a 7-5 lead.

The score remained 7-5 until the decisive sixth inning when SMSU pushed across seven runs to retake the lead and earn the win. Brian Redemske started the rally with a double and later scored on a throwing error by the MISU catcher to make the score 7-6. VanderBeek singled and following a fielder's choice, Tanner Neale walked to put runners on first and second for Rients. The senior then a 1-2 pitch for his fourth home run of the season to give SMSU the lead. The Mustangs tacked on three more insurance runs in the inning, using an RBI triple by Brandan Alfson, an error by MISU and a run-scoring single by Redemske to push the lead to 12-7.

Travis McGlauflin (1-1) picked up the victory in relief, tossing 2 1/3 shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks with three strikeouts.

Jimmy Callahan started for SMSU and lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

SMSU finished with 15 hits in the opener with Alfson, Redemske and VanderBeek all finishing 3 for 4 with an RBI, while Minett added two hits and three RBIs.

In game two, MISU took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Austin Stubbs belted a two-run homer to right-center to give SMSU an early 2-1 lead.

The Beavers answered back in a big way in the second, scoring 10 runs on seven hits to take a commanding 11-2 lead.

VanderBeek made the score 11-3 with an RBI single in the fourth inning to score Alfson, before the Beavers scored four runs in the sixth to extend the margin to 15-3.

SMSU mounted a comeback attempt in the sixth and seventh inning scoring seven unanswered runs to make things interesting. Rients started the comeback with an RBI double and was followed by a three-run home run by Stubbs to make the score 15-7.

In the seventh, a pair of one-out walks and a single loaded the bases, before Tanner Neale smacked a two-run double down the left field line to make the score 15-9. Rients then struck out on a ball in the dirt, but the throw by the MISU catcher to first base sailed down the line allowing another run to score making it 15-10. But SMSU would get no closer in the inning, with runners on second and third, a strikeout and ground out closed the frame.

Minot State added three unearned runs in the eighth to grab an 18-10 lead.

The late inning runs proved to be big for the Beavers, as SMSU made one last attempt at a comeback in the ninth. Neale and Rients hit back-to-back doubles to score one run, before Stubbs singled home Rients making the score 18-12. Jarred Carlson then followed with a two-run blast to center field cutting the deficit to 18-14. Mark LaCroix then entered the game for MISU and allowed just one hit, while retiring the final three SMSU hitters to close out the victory.

Alex Jorgensen (0-3) started for SMSU and lasted just 1 2/3 innings, giving up 10 runs on eight hits with four walks.

MISU starting pitcher Austin Berntson (2-1) tossed a strong six innings despite the conditions, allowing seven runs on 13 hits, but struck out 10 batters.

Stubbs had a big game two for the Mustangs, going 5 for 6 with six RBIs and three runs scored. He is the first SMSU player with six RBIs in one game since Rients had six last season on May 1 versus Bemidji State. Carlson went 4 for 6 with two RBIs, while Neale and Derek Branson each collected three hits, to help the Mustang 20-hit attack.

Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Winona State starting at 1:30 p.m.