Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MARSHALL, Minn. – Minnesota Duluth collected 22 hits, including belting six home runs, to earn a 16-8 victory in game two and complete a NSIC doubleheader sweep over Southwest Minnesota State on Wednesday at Alumni Field. UMD won the opener 7-2.  
 
UMD's Jimmy Heck had five hits, including three home runs in the twinbill and finished with five RBIs.
 
SMSU led 7-4 in game two, but UMD countered with seven unanswered runs to help secure the win.
 
In game one, UMD (17-9, 10-4 NSIC) opened the scoring in the second as Heck smacked a one-out solo homer over the center field wall.
 
The UMD lead moved to 2-0 in the top of the third as Kyle Comer delivered a two-out RBI single.
 
SMSU (3-22, 1-9 NSIC) answered in the home half of the third inning to tie the game. Cole VanderBeek started the rally with a double off the left field fence. Kody Larson moved VanderBeek to third with a single to left field, before Jayden Fleck came through with a one out single to make the score 2-1. Moments later, Tanner Picht smacked a run-scoring single to score Larson to tie the game at 2-2.
 
UMD quickly regained the lead in the fourth as Grant Farley drilled a two-out, two-run double making the score 4-2.
 
The Bulldogs used another two-out RBI single in the fifth to push the lead to 5-2 and then plated two more in the sixth to extend the margin to 7-2.

Cole Petersen (2-3) started on the mound for SMSU and finished tossing 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts and five walks. Travis McGlauflin pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
 
UMD started game two with a bang, scoring four runs on back-to-back-to-back home runs. All-American Alex Wojciechowski belted a two-run homer to start the rally and was followed by solo shots from Kyle Comer and Jimmy Heck to build a 4-0.
 
SMSU rallied in a big way in the home half of the first to take the lead scoring seven runs on six hits and three UMD errors. Derek Branson started the scoring with an RBI single with Jon Leighton following with an RBI single to make the score 4-2. Josh Cook made the score 4-3 on a fielder's choice and on the play a throwing by UMD scored another run to tie the game at 4-4. Later in the inning, Tanner Luebke came through with a clutch two-run single to give SMSU its first lead, before Picht capped the scoring with a two-out run-scoring base hit pushing the margin to 7-4.
 
UMD would counter scoring seven unanswered runs over the next five innings.
 
UMD cut the deficit to 7-6 in the second on an RBI ground out and a triple by Wojciechowski and then pushed across another run in the third to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The Bulldogs regained the lead in the fourth scoring a run on a single by Heck.
 
SMSU threatened to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs, but a ground out closed the inning to keep UMD in the lead.
 
UMD added to the lead with a single run in the fifth and two unearned runs in the sixth to push the lead to 11-7.
 
The Mustangs picked up a run back in the seventh as Leighton doubled and later scored on a sac fly by Josh Cook to make the deficit 11-8.
 
UMD put the game away with back-to-back-to-back home runs for the second time in the game to push the margin to 15-8, before adding another run in the ninth.
 
SMSU starter Erik Thorvilson pitched the first 2 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits. Shawn Williams (0-2), the first of five SMSU relief pitchers, took the loss allowing a run on a hit and two walks.
 
SMSU finished game two with 10 hits, with Picht, Brandon, Leighton and VanderBeek all recording two apiece.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hits the road this weekend for a four-game series versus Minot State University. Doubleheaders both days begin at 12 p.m.