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.
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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.
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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.
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Malone (3-5) came back with a run in the first and three more in the second to take a 4-2 lead.
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SMSU cut into the lead in the third on a run-scoring ground out by Leighton to score
Tanner Picht.
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The Pioneers then pushed across an unearned run in the fourth to take back a two-run lead at 5-3.
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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.
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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.
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Leighton led the offense going 2 for 3 with three RBIs, while Picht and Sellner each collected two hits.
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In game two, the Pioneers scored five runs—four unearned—in the first two innings to build a five-run lead.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Branson had two of SMSU's seven hits in game two.
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Southwest Minnesota State and Malone will meet again tomorrow for a single nine-inning game starting at 1:30 p.m. CST.
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