Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

WINONA, Minn. – Winona State erased a two-run deficit with a five-run eighth inning to earn a 9-6 victory in game two of an NSIC doubleheader and complete a sweep over Southwest Minnesota State on Thursday night at Loughery Field. WSU picked up a 3-1 victory in game one.
 
In the nightcap, WSU (11-23, 11-13 NSIC) scored a run in the first and two more in the fifth to build a 3-0 advantage.
 
SMSU (8-22, 3-17 NSIC) started its comeback in the sixth as Tanner Luebke reached on a fielder's choice RBI scoring Shane Sellner. Luebke later stole second base and on the play, Cole VanderBeek scored on a throwing error by the WSU pitcher to trim the deficit to 3-2.
 
SMSU tied the game in the seventh as Jayden Fleck started the frame with a single and later scored on a ground out by Tanner Strommen.
 
WSU regained the lead with a two-out RBI single in the seventh, but SMSU jumped into the lead with a big two-out rally in the eighth. Following a pair of groundouts, Derek Smith started the rally with a pinch hit single. Following a single by Fleck, Brady Lanoue ripped a two-run double to give SMSU a 5-4 lead. Strommen made the score 6-4 with a run-scoring single to bring home Lanoue.
 
WSU had a big response in the bottom of the eighth, scoring five runs on five hits and one error off two SMSU relief pitchers to secure the comeback win.
 
Fleck finished 3 for 5 with two run scored for the Mustangs, while Lanoue and VanderBeek both finished with a pair of hits.
 
Cole Petersen pitched the first six innings for SMSU and allowed six hits and three runs (two earned) with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
Davis Bryan (0-2) suffered the loss after taking over in the eighth inning.
 
In game one, SMSU snapped a scoreless game in the fourth inning behind singles from Strommen, Derek Branson and Smith loading the bases with two outs. Liam Lopez worked an eight-pitch walk to score Strommen and give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
 
The Warriors quickly responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of fourth to take a 2-1 lead. With a runner on first and two outs, a throwing error and a balk moved the tying run to third base. A two-out single by Kipp Youngquist tied the score, before three straight walks pushed across the second run of the inning.
 
WSU took advantage of a lead-off walk in the fifth and a throwing error to score another run on an RBI ground out by Sam Kohnle.
 
Justin Clark (0-5) started on the mound for SMSU and lasted 3 2/3 innings allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
 
SMSU out-hit WSU 8-5, with VanderBeek finishing 2 for 3, while six other Mustangs all collected one hit.
 
The two teams wrap-up the four-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader at 12 p.m.