Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

BISMARCK, N.D. – Christopher Berg hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth to lift Southwest Minnesota State to a 1-0 extra-inning victory over the University of Mary in game one of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference baseball doubleheader at Municipal Ballpark on Friday. SMSU also received outstanding pitching in game two, but the Mustangs stranded nine runners on base including the bases loaded in the seventh in suffering a 2-1 setback.
 
The two squads will conclude the three-game series on Saturday starting a 12 p.m.
 
The extra-inning win was SMSU's first since April 16, 2017, while the loss in game two snapped the Mustangs' three-game winning streak. SMSU is now 9-23 overall, 8-19 NSIC.
 
The game-winning rally in the opener started behind a UMary throwing error to start the ninth and allow Derek Smith to reach base. Following two strikeouts, Jayden Fleck dropped a single to right field advancing Smith to second. Berg, who entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch-runner, smacked an 0-2 pitch to right field to score Smith just ahead of the throw at the plate.
 
The rally helped Mustang starting pitcher John Bezdicek (2-4) earn a well-deserved victory. The sophomore lefty allowed just five hits in 8 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts and just one walk.
 
UMary (15-27, 11-18 NSIC) put together a rally in the bottom of the ninth with a one-out single and a Bezdicek wild pitch to put the tying run on second. Teddy Broxterman came on in relief and recorded a strikeout before inducing a ground out to seal the win and record his fourth save of the season.
 
Both teams finished with five hits in the game with Brady Lanoue, Fleck, Berg, Ben Heichel and Andy Andresen each collecting one hit.
 
In game two, the Marauders received a two-out RBI single by Jesus Payan to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
 
It remained 1-0 until the fourth when Lanoue blasted a solo homer—his third round-tripper of the season—over the right field wall to tie the game.
 
UMary answered back plating a run in the home half of the fourth on a fielder's choice to take a 2-1 lead.
 
SMSU would threaten several more times in the game putting a runner on second in the fifth and two more in scoring position with one out in the sixth, but failed to tie the game.
 
In the seventh, SMSU worked three walks to load the bases, but a ground out to second ended the game.
 
Cole Petersen (1-7) was the tough-luck losing pitcher for the Mustangs as he allowed two runs on just four hits in 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks.
 
SMSU held a 5-4 hit advantage in game two with Lanoue finishing with two hits while Fleck, Nathan Kuhn and Kip Gronholz each added one.