> Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – St. Cloud State improved to 7-0 with a 12-5 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Sunday morning in non-conference action at the Kino Sports Complex.

The Huskies scored runs in each of the first six innings to build a 12-2 lead. SMSU drops to 1-3 on the season.

SCSU jumped to an early lead off of SMSU starter Jake Matthys to build a 4-0 lead. The Huskies scored an unearned run in the first, before using a pair of two-out RBI hits to plate three more runs in the second.

SMSU countered in the bottom of the second on an Austin Stubbs solo home run—his first long ball of the season to make the score 4-1, but SCSU scored another unearned run in the third and a single run in the fourth to push the margin to 6-1.

The Huskies added two more runs in the fifth to make the score 8-1, until Tanner Neale smacked an RBI double for SMSU in the home half of the fifth cut the lead to 8-2. SMSU later loaded the bases in the inning, but a strikeout ended the threat.

SCSU then put the game away with a four-run sixth inning to push the lead to 12-2.

Jason Minett pushed across another SMSU run with an RBI single in the seventh, while Neale added an RBI ground out in the eighth. Brian Redemske plated SMSU's final run in the ninth with a bases loaded walk.

Neale led SMSU's 10-hit offense going 2 for 5 with two RBI, while Patrick Rients and Redemske each finished 2 for 4.

Matthys (0-1) picked up the loss allowing 12 runs (10 earned) on 14 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Cameron Knudson pitched solid relief for SMSU, tossing 3 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits with two strikeouts.

SCSU All-American pitcher Reese Gregory (2-0) earned the victory allowing two runs on five hits in six innings of work with eight strikeouts.

Southwest Minnesota State continues play on Monday taking on Minot State University with first pitch at 9 p.m. CDT.