Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

TUCSON, Ariz. – Concordia-St. Paul used a pair of late rallies to earn a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday at the Tucson Invitational at the Kino Sports Complex. CSP won the opener 16-11 and took game two by a 13-9 score.
 
CSP (4-0) rallied from an 11-4 fifth inning deficit in game one, before coming back from a 4-2 deficit in the fifth inning in game two to record the sweep.
 
In the opener, SMSU (0-6) held an 11-9 lead into the bottom sixth, but CSP scored seven runs to complete the comeback.
 
After collecting just 10 hits in four games last weekend, the SMSU bats came alive in game one with 15 hits, including four for extra bases. Tanner Picht and Josh Cook led the Mustang offense with three hits each, while Derek Branson and Jayden Fleck each finished with two hits.
 
SMSU opened the scoring with a two-out rally in the second. Michael Marchese ripped a double and was followed with a Kody Larson run-scoring single. Following a pair of CSP errors to score one run, Jon Leighton dropped in a two-run single to make the score 4-0.
 
CSP took advantage of a pair of SMSU two-out throwing errors to score an unearned run in the home half of the second to cut the lead to 4-1.
 
SMSU left the bases loaded in the third, but came up with a single run in the fourth. Derek Branson led off the frame with a double and later came around to score on a clutch two-out RBI single by Cook.
 
The Golden Bears pushed across three runs on four hits in the fourth to trim the lead to 5-4, but the Mustangs answered with a big top of the fifth inning.
 
Marchese started the rally with a walk and moved to second on a ground out. Jayden Fleck ripped an RBI single to plate Marchese, before by back-to-back singles by Picht and Branson loaded the bases. Jon Leighton worked a walk to score another run, before Shane Sellner blasted a two-run double to right field to make the score 9-4. Cook followed with a sac fly to score Leighton, before Cole VanderBeek capped the scoring with a run-scoring single to push the lead to 11-4.
 
CSP wouldn't go away and answered with a five-run fifth inning to cut the SMSU lead to 11-9.
 
SMSU had a great chance to add to the lead in the sixth inning—loading the bases with one out—but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.
 
Alex Jorgensen started on the mound for the Mustangs and lasted 4-plus innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits. He struck out two and walked one.
 
Brandon Woznak (0-1), the second of three relievers for the Mustangs, suffered the loss.
 
In game two, CSP took a 1-0 lead in the second inning taking advantage of a two-out SMSU error to score an unearned run.
 
SMSU took the lead in the third, as Marchese ripped a one-out triple, which was followed by a walk to Jake Schultz. Following a pop out, Picht laced a two-run double to the left field wall to score a pair, before Branson drilled a run-scoring single to make it 3-1.
 
CSP picked up a run back in the fourth, but SMSU answered with a Shane Sellner RBI single in the home half to score Jon Leighton, to give SMSU back its two-run lead.
 
The Golden Bears then put together a rally in the top of the fifth to regain the lead, using three two-out singles and an SMSU throwing error to score four runs and take a 6-4 advantage.
 
SMSU picked up a run back in the bottom of the fifth as Branson drilled a solo home run—the first round tripper of his career—over the left center field wall.
 
CSP came right back and blew the game open with a seven-run sixth inning. CSP had just three hits, but took advantage of three walks, a hit batter and two errors. 

Justin Clark started for the Mustangs and earned a no-decision, pitching 4 1/3 innings, allowing three hits, three runs (two earned) with seven strikeouts and three walks.   
 
Jake Leighton (0-1) took the loss in relief, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits.
 
SMSU out-hit CSP 13-10, but committed four errors, walked seven and hit one batter.
 
Sellner led the SMSU offense going 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Branson, Cook and VanderBeek all collected two hits apiece.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will look for its first win tomorrow night with a nine-inning game versus the University of Winnipeg starting at 7:30 p.m. CST.