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> Game 2 Box
FAYETTE, Iowa – Southwest Minnesota State University used a four-run rally in the top of the ninth inning to defeat Upper Iowa 9-7 and salvage a split of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader on Sunday at Robertson Woods Field.
UIU opened a close game with a four-run sixth inning to earn a 6-3 victory in game one. The teams split the four-game series.
Today's doubleheader split is SMSU's 12th of the season and 10th in conference play. SMSU is 17-21 overall, 10-12 in league play. UIU is 17-21 overall, 9-15 NSIC.
In the nightcap, Upper Iowa snapped a 5-5 game with two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning off of SMSU relief pitcher Colton Smith to build a two-run lead into the final frame.
The winning SMSU rally started with a Jarred Carlson single, before back-to-back walks to Brandan Alfson and Derek Branson loaded the bases with no outs. Patrick Rients was hit by a pitch to score the first run, before Tanner Neale tied the game with a fielder's choice to plate Alfson. Cole VanderBeek then put SMSU ahead with a single to right field scoring Branson, before Brian Redemske added another run with a sac fly to make the score 9-7.
Alfson came on in relief in the ninth and following a pair of two-out walks, closed the game with two fly outs to record his first save of the season.
VanderBeek recorded his first career four-hit game to lead the Mustang offense, while Rients finished 3 for 4 with a pair of runs scored. Austin Stubbs and Carlson each finished with two hits.
The game-winning rally was the second in the game for SMSU, after falling behind 4-0 after two innings of play.
Carlson hit a two-out RBI single to score VanderBeek in the third, before SMSU rallied to take its first lead of the game in the sixth. With one out, three straight singles by Rients, Neale and VanderBeek loaded the bases. Redemske then came through with a bases clearing double to tie the game at 4-4. Jason Minett followed with a sac fly to give the Mustangs a 5-4 advantage.
UIU answered with a run off of SMSU starting pitcher Jake Matthys in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.
Matthys pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on 11 hits, while tying a season-high with seven strikeouts. He also walked two and hit one batter.
Smit (2-0) picked up the victory pitching 2 1/3 innings giving up two runs on three hits.
In game one, UIU scored single runs in the first and fourth innings to build a 2-0 lead off of SMSU starter Alex Jorgensen.
Trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning, SMSU attempted a comeback as Alfson hit a two-out RBI double to make the score 2-1. SMSU nearly took the lead moments later as with runners on second and third and two outs, Branson drilled a ball to deep centerfield that was caught to end the inning.
UIU answered with a four-run sixth inning to build a 6-1 lead. The runs proved to be big as Redemske hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.
Jorgensen (0-6) took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) in five-plus innings. He allowed seven hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts.
Redemske finished the game with two hits and two runs scored.
Southwest Minnesota State, which will play 10 of its last 12 regular season games at home, returns to Alumni Field on Wednesday to face Concordia-St. Paul in a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.
