TUCSON, Ariz. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team reached double-figure scoring for the third straight game and in doing so recorded its third straight victory earning a 12-5 non-conference win over Bemidji State at the Kino Sports Complex on Friday.
 
SMSU, which moved to .500 overall at 5-5, racked up 20 hits, including seven for extra bases. It was the second straight game the Mustangs have recorder 20 or more hits. The last time SMSU scored 10 or more runs in three straight games occurred during the 2014 season.
 
Jaxon Haase and Robbie Smith led the way for the Mustangs with both recording career-highs with three hits. Smith also stole three bases, becoming the first SMSU player to steal three in a game since Andy Cook in 2006. Chase McDaniel, Isaac Nett, Owen Latendresse, Keenan Wenzel and Caleb Gardow all finished the game with two hits each. Gardow belted his first career home run, while Latendresse smacked his second round-tripper of the season.
 
Haase, Nett, Smith and Gardow all scored two runs each, while Latendresse, Smith and Gardow each drove in two runs.
 
Kobe Lovell (1-0) picked up his first career victory tossing four shutout innings of relief allowing three hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
 
SMSU grabbed an early lead in the top of the first behind a Haase one-out double and an RBI single by Max Kalenberg. Later in the frame, Smith coaxed a bases loaded walk to give the Mustangs a 2-0 advantage.
 
BSU (3-11) would come right back and take a one-run lead with three singles, a walk and a catcher's interference to make the score 3-2.
 
SMSU countered with its own big inning in the top of the second to regain the lead. Gardow started the rally with his long ball down the leftfield line to tie the game at 3-3. Following a single by McDaniel, Haase put the Mustangs in the lead with a double down the right field line. Jake Tauer would later add to the lead with an RBI single, while Smith capped the scoring with an infield RBI single to push the lead to 6-3.
 
The Mustangs extended the lead in the fourth behind two hits to add three runs. The first run scored as Smith stole third and sprinted home as the the throw from the catcher bounced down the third base line. Gardow would make the score 8-3 with an RBI line single before Nett would later beat out an infield single to score Gardow and give SMSU a 9-3 lead.
 
The Beavers would plate two runs in the fourth to chase Mustang starter Sam Nascak and cut the deficit to 9-5.
 
SMSU would once again have a response as Owen Latendresse started the fifth with his second home run of the season to extend the lead to 10-5.
 
SMSU added another run in the seventh as Smith singled with one out and after stealing second, came around to score on a Keenan Wenzel triple to left-center on a two-strike pitch.
 
The final run of the game came in the ninth as Kip Gronholz double and scored on a Latendresse single up the middle.
 
Nascak, making his first career start on the mound, tossed a career-high three-plus innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Brady Petron and Andy Andresen each fired a shutout inning of relief to secure the victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State is back in action on Saturday with an 11 a.m. CST game versus the University of Jamestown. The teams split two games earlier this week.