Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box TUCSON, Ariz. – Malone University (Ohio) extended Southwest Minnesota State's losing streak to four straight win a doubleheader sweep tonight at the Kino Sports Complex. The Pioneers won the first game 13-5 and took the night cap 10-3.
In the opener, Malone broke a 5-5 tie with an eight-run bottom of the sixth, scoring six unearned runs on three SMSU errors, to earn a 13-5 win.
SMSU (1-10) jumped to an early lead in the top of the first with RBI singles by
Shane Sellner and
Jon Leighton to build a 2-0 advantage.
Malone (3-5) came back with a run in the first and three more in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
SMSU cut into the lead in the third on a run-scoring ground out by Leighton to score
Tanner Picht.
The Pioneers then pushed across an unearned run in the fourth to take back a two-run lead at 5-3.
The Mustangs answered right back in the top of the fifth as Picht smacked a lead-off double and scored moments later on a
Derek Branson single. Following a wild pitch, Leighton ripped a game-tying double to score Branson, making the score 5-5.
Brandon Woznak made his first career start for SMSU and lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts. He hit four batters and walked one.
Cole Petersen (1-1) took the loss in relief, allowing five runs (two earned) on three hits, with three strikeouts and two walks in 1 1/3 innings.
Leighton led the offense going 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Picht and Sellner each collected two hits.
In game two, the Pioneers scored five runs—four unearned—in the first two innings to build a five-run lead.
SMSU picked up a run in the home half of the third as
Michael Marchese started the rally with a double and later scored on a two-out RBI double by Picht.
Malone added to the advantage with two runs in the sixth, but SMSU came back with two of its own as
Cole VanderBeek drilled a two-out, two-run single to make the score 7-3 after six.
Alex Jorgensen (0-2) started for SMSU and recorded a career-high seven strikeout in six innings. He allowed seven runs (three earned) on 12 hits.
Branson had two of SMSU's seven hits in game two.
Southwest Minnesota State and Malone will meet again tomorrow for a single nine-inning game starting at 1:30 p.m. CST.
