Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

WAYNE, Neb. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team concluded its four-game weekend road trip at Wayne State on Sunday splitting a doubleheader for the second straight day, losing game one, 8-4, before holding on for a 7-6 win in game two.
 
Today's first game counted as a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference contest, while game two was a 7-inning non-conference game. With the victory in game one, WSC won two of the three NSIC games on the weekend.
 
With today's split, SMSU is 5-6 overall, 3-5 NSIC, while WSC is now 5-7 overall, 4-4 NSIC.
 
In the opener, WSC used a big two-out rally in the fourth inning to score seven runs and earn the series win.
 
The Wildcats started the scoring with a run in the second off SMSU starter Jeremiah Van De Steeg and maintained the 1-0 advantage until the fourth. SMSU started its rally with one out as Jake Hendricks singled and Matt Bezdicek was hit by a pitch before Derek Smith reached via an error to score Hendricks and tie the game at 1-1. Kip Gronholz and Robbie Smith followed with back-to-back RBI singles to put the Mustangs in the lead at 3-1.
 
WSC answered in a big way in the bottom of the fourth, scoring seven runs on six hits and taking advantage of one walk and one hit by pitch. The Wildcats cut the deficit to 3-2 with two outs following a ground out but an RBI single tied the game at 3-3 and ended the day for Van De Steeg. Sam Nascak entered in relief for the Mustangs, but he failed to retire a batter as the Wildcats used a hit by pitch, a single, a walk and a bases-clearing double to build a 7-3 lead. Hayden Molva replaced Nascak and allowed a run-scoring single before a ground out ended the rally.
 
SMSU was held in-check until the ninth inning when Chase McDaniel reached on a fielder's choice to score Robbie Smith.
 
Van De Steeg (0-1) suffered the loss on the mound for SMSU lasting 3 2/3 innings allowing four hits and four runs. Teddy Broxtermann was solid in a relief role firing the final 3 2/3 innings giving up just one hit with three strikeouts.
 
SMSU was held to six hits with Gronholz finishing 2 for 4, while Nathan Kuhn, Hendricks, Smith, and Haase each collecting one hit.
 
In game two, SMSU freshman pitcher Ansen Dulas earned his first career victory tossing the first four innings and limiting the Wildcats to one run on four hits with six strikeouts.
 
WSC scored the game's first run before SMSU answered with seven straight runs to build a 7-1 lead.
 
Hunter Krommenhoek started a big second inning with a single, was followed by Robbie Smith getting hit by a pitch, before Keenan Wenzel loaded the bases with an infield single. McDaniel put SMSU in the lead with a two-run single before Mason Rummel laid down a sac bunt to score another run and put the Mustangs in front 3-1.
 
SMSU added to the lead in the third as Max Kalenburg had an infield RBI single to score Gronholz, while Wenzel scored another run with a sac fly to make the score 5-1.
 
Rummel led-off the fourth with a walk and eventually reached third base on an Andy Andresen single. Rummel would later sprint home on a wild pitch, while later in the frame Krommenhoek hit a sac fly to score Andresen and push the margin to 7-1.
 
WSC wouldn't go away and scored three runs off of SMSU reliever Brady Brosz to cut the deficit to 7-4 after five innings. The Wildcats would add a run in the sixth to make the score 7-5 and had the tying run at first base but SMSU pitcher James Hardy ended the rally with a pick-off to keep SMSU with a two-run lead.
 
WSC started the seventh inning with a single which summoned Jared Tschetter into pitch for SMSU. The Wildcats would score a run taking advantage of two wild pitches, but Tschetter retired all three batters he faced to seal the win and earn his second save of the season.
 
Both teams were held to six hits in the nightcap with Wenzel pacing the Mustang offense with two hits, while Andresen, Krommenhoek, Kalenburg and McDaniel each had one.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will return home to play in Marshall for the first time since May 4, 2019, when they open a three-game series at Legion Field versus Concordia-St. Paul. Friday's doubleheader is set to begin at 1 p.m.