Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – Northern State belted a grand slam and a three-run home run in the eighth inning to help rally from a 7-1 deficit and went on to earn a 17-7 non-conference victory over Southwest Minnesota State at the Tucson Invitational on Monday night.
 
SMSU led 7-1 with one out in the top of the eighth, but the two long balls gave the Wolves an 8-7 lead. NSU then put the game away with a nine-run ninth inning, scoring seven unearned runs.
 
SMSU falls to 1-7 with the loss, while today was NSU's season opening game.
 
The comeback overshadowed an impressive pitching performance by SMSU starting pitcher Erik Thorvilson. The freshman left-hander tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
 
The Mustang offense was led by Jon Leighton and Shane Sellner, who both finished 3 for 4, to pace SMSU's 13-hit attack. Sellner had three RBIs and scored a run, while Leighton had two RBIs and scored two runs. Derek Branson and Tanner Picht both finished the game 2 for 4 for the Mustangs.
 
SMSU jumped out to an early lead by pushing across four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jayden Fleck worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a single by Picht. Branson pushed across the game's first run with an RBI single and was followed by a run-scoring single by Leighton to make the score 2-0. Sellner then crushed a two-run double to the right center field gap to score two more runs to extend the lead to 4-0.
 
SMSU added to the lead in the third as Sellner hit a one-out single and later scored on a sac fly by Josh Cook.
 
SMSU extended the lead to 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth as Sellner lofted a solo home run over the right field wall for his first homer of the season.
 
NSU scored its first run on a solo homer in the seventh, but SMSU picked up the run back up as Leighton smacked a two-out, run-scoring double to score Branson.
 
The Wolves started the comeback with one out in the eighth. Following a double and a walk Thorvilson was replaced by Jake Leighton. A walk loaded the bases before Lucas Lorenz connected on a grand slam to make the score 7-5. After a hit batter, Travis McLaughlin came in for Leighton and gave up a single and a three-run homer to put the Wolves ahead 8-7.
 
SMSU nearly regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth as Kody Larson nearly belted a two-run home run to left center, but the ball was caught at the base of the fence.
 
NSU then took advantage of four walks, a hit batter and one SMSU error to plate nine runs in the ninth inning.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will face nationally ranked St. Cloud State tomorrow at 4 p.m. CST.