Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State closed out its season today with a split versus Minnesota Crookston in NSIC college baseball on Saturday at Alumni Field. SMSU won the opener 4-2, before UMC earned a 6-3 win in game two.
 
The split ends SMSU season with an overall record of 15-33, 10-27 NSIC. UMC closes the regular season 24-26 overall, 18-20 NSIC. UMC will await word on Saturday night to see if it qualifies for the eight-team NSIC tournament starting Wednesday in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
 
In game one, Cole Petersen allowed two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and one walk, while closing his season with a 6-2 record with a 1.70 ERA. He entered the game ranked 13^th in Division II in ERA.
 
Shawn Williams worked around a pair of SMSU errors in the seventh inning to record his fifth save of the season.
 
SMSU jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, cracking out five hits. Singles by Cole VanderBeek, Derek Branson and Shane Sellner loaded the bases with one out. Ben Heichel fell behind the count at 0-2, but worked it back to 3-2, before giving SMSU a 1-0 with an infield single. Branson attempted to score on the play but was out at the plate. Jayden Fleck answered with a big two-out single down the left field line to score Sellner and push the lead to 2-0.
 
UMC picked up a run in the top of the second on an RBI ground out by Mitchell Bornhauser.
 
The Golden Eagles tied the game in the fourth as David Olson singled to start the frame and later scored on a sac fly by Bornhauser.
 
SMSU regained the lead in the fifth as Branson hammered a run-scoring double to right-center field to score Tanner Strommen from first base. Later in the inning with two outs, Fleck smashed an RBI double over the head of the centerfielder to push the lead to 4-2.
 
SMSU finished with a 10-6 hit advantage in the game with VanderBeek finishing 3 for 4 with a run scored. Fleck was 2 for 3 with two RBIs, while Branson and Sellner also both finished with two hits.
 
In game two, UMC struck first in the top of the first as Reed Hjelle smacked a two-out RBI single to score Anthony Stewart.
 
UMC pushed the lead to 4-0 in the second inning behind a pair of two-out run-scoring base hits. Stewart laced a two-run single and was followed by an RBI single from Patrick Amerson to make the score 4-0.
 
SMSU picked up a run in the home half of the second as Ben Heichel hit a one out single, stole second and then came around to score on a double to center field by Tanner Luebke.
 
UMC regained a four-run lead in the third behind an RBI single from David Olson.
 
SMSU answered again with a run in the third as Heichel stroked a two-out RBI single to score Strommen and cut the lead to 5-2.
 
The Golden Eagles added to the lead in the seventh as Ethan Mushitz lined an RBI single to right field.
 
The Mustangs responded in the eight, pushing across a run off two hits and a fielding error by UMC to cut the deficit in half at 6-3.
 
Davis Bryan (0-4) made his final start in his career and tossed two innings, allowing four runs with two strikeouts and two walks.
 
Jeremy Stouffer made his first relief appearance of the season and fired 4 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and one walk. James Hardy tossed 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief allowing just one hit with one strikeout.
 
UMC starter Parker Hanson (4-3) was solid in six innings of work, giving up just five hits and two runs with five strikeouts to earn the victory.
 
UMC closer Zach Seipel recorded his 12^th save of the season allowing one unearned run on two hits in three innings of work.
 
The Golden Eagles finished with a 13-8 hit advantage in game two.
 
VanderBeek, Branson and Heichel each collected two hits for the Mustangs.  
 
Today was the final games for SMSU seniors Derek Branson, Davis Bryan, Kody Larson, Tanner Luebke, Brian Redemske and Cole VanderBeek.