Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
ALEXANDRIA, Minn. – Wayne State completed a four-game NSIC sweep on Saturday defeating Southwest Minnesota State in a pair of slugfests, 15-14 and 10-6, at Knute Nelson Memorial Field.
The games were relocated to Alexandria due to poor weather in Nebraska. The teams combined for 60 hits in the two games, while WSC scored at least one run in 12 of 14 innings. It's the second straight season WSC has swept a four-game series from SMSU.
In game one, SMSU (6-31, 4-18 NSIC) jumped on the board early as
Derek Branson slapped a one-out single and was followed by a two-run homer over the center field fence by
Jon Leighton to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
WSC (13-24, 10-12 NSIC) scored two runs in both the first and second innings to take a 4-2 lead, but SMSU answered with a big third inning to regain the lead.
SMSU put together six straight two out hits to push across six runs to build an 8-4 advantage.
Kyle Graves and
Tanner Luebke started the scoring with back-to-back RBI singles, before
Tanner Picht launched a three-run home run to make the score 7-4.
Kody Larson would later deliver an RBI single to score another run pushing the margin to 8-4.
WSC came right back with a four-run third inning to tie the game at 8-8, but SMSU regained the lead again in the fourth on a two-out single by Graves to score Branson.
The Mustang lead didn't last for long as the Wildcats pushed across a pair of runs to make the score 10-9 after four innings.
The WSC lead didn't last as SMSU responded with a two-run fifth inning. A walk to Luebke and a single by Picht put runners on the corners.
Cole VanderBeek laid down a perfect sac bunt to score the first run, before Larson smacked a run-scoring single to give SMSU an 11-10 lead.
WSC went back out in front in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out grand slam making the score 14-11.
SMSU took advantage of a WSC fielding error and wild pitching to score three runs in the sixth to tie the score at 14-14. Picht coaxed a bases loaded walk, while VanderBeek was hit by a pitch moments later for another run. Larson then lofted a sac fly to score another run to tie the game.
The game wasn't tied for long, as for the fourth time in the game WSC, rallied to regain the lead scoring one run.
SMSU threatened in the seventh, putting two runners on base via walk and error, but Luebke lined out to end the game.
The Mustang offense finished the game with 13 hits, with Leighton leading the charge with three hits. Branson, Graves, Picht and Larson collected two hits each.
Jake Leighton (1-2), one of four SMSU pitchers, took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings.
In game two, SMSU opened the scoring as Leighton ripped an RBI single to score Luebke.
WSC scored a run in the first and added a two-run homer in the third to build a 3-1 advantage.
SMSU cut into the deficit in the fourth, as Larson delivered an RBI single to score VanderBeek, but WSC answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of solo home runs to extend the lead to 5-2.
Shane Sellner smacked a solo homer for SMSU in the fifth, but WSC answered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead.
WSC made the score 9-3 after six, but SMSU wouldn't go away as Picht and Sellner each hit solo homers in the seventh to cut the margin to 9-5.
Davis Bryan (1-5) started for SMSU and lasted four-plus innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits.
SMSU out-hit WSC 15-14, with Picht, Sellner, Graves, VanderBeek and Larson all recording two hits.
Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Wednesday, May 4, with a conference doubleheader at Bemidji State starting at 1:30 p.m.
