Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – True freshman John Bezdicek fired a three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts to help lead Southwest Minnesota State to a 7-0 victory and complete a doubleheader sweep over Briar Cliff University (Iowa) on Friday afternoon at the Tucson Invitational. SMSU used a grand slam from Jayden Fleck in the opener to hold onto a 6-4 victory.
 
Bezdicek is the first Mustang pitcher to record double-digit strikeouts since Mitch Wurm in 2015.
 
SMSU is now 4-4 on the season, while Briar Cliff drops to 9-6 overall. BCU entered the day having won seven straight games including six in Tucson.
 
Fleck had a big day for the Mustangs, racking up two doubles, a grand slam and seven RBIs in the two games.
 
In game two, Fleck snapped a scoreless game in the third with a two-out double to score Shane Sellner, who reached via a two-out walk.
 
SMSU broke the game open in the fourth pushing across six runs on seven hits. Tanner Strommen and Jake Hendricks started the rally with back-to-back singles. Spencer Rudnik came through with an RBI single before Nathan Kuhn made it 3-0 with a run-scoring base hit. Ben Heichel smacked an RBI single to make it 4-0 and followed a strikeout, Fleck drilled a two-run double. Connor Johnson closed the scoring with an RBI single to push the margin to 7-0.
 
The Mustangs had 14 hits in the game with six players collecting two hits apiece.
 
The run support was plenty for Bezdicek, who finished with two walks and also hit a batter, while improving to 1-1 on the season.
 
In game one, Fleck belted a grand slam in the fourth inning to help SMSU earn the victory.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth and with one out, Kuhn single and was followed by a walk to Heichel and a singly by Sellner. Fleck then stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam over the left field wall. It was SMSU's first grand slam since Patrick Rients during the 2014 season.
 
SMSU wasn't finished in the inning as Johnson doubled and Mark Bezdicek singled before Spencer Franko ripped a two-out, two-run double to push the lead to 6-1.
 
The Mustangs maintained the lead five-run lead into the bottom of the seventh before the Chargers mounted a rally. SMSU starting pitcher Justin Clark walked the lead-off batter and was replaced by Michael Revenig. Following a line out, BCU put together four straight singles to cut the deficit to 6-3 and loading the bases with one out. Teddy Broxterman then entered the game and coaxed a pair of ground outs to secure the victory and his first career save.
 
Clark (1-0) pitched six-plus innings and allowed two runs on six hits with strikeouts and two walks to pick up the win.
 
SMSU rapped out 11 hits with Sellner finishing 3 for 4 while Fleck and Johnson both finished 2 for 4.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues play on Saturday with an 8 p.m. CST game versus Mount Marty (S.D.) College.