TUCSON, Ariz. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team used strong pitching and timely hitting to earn its fourth straight victory with a 4-2 win over the University of Jamestown on Saturday afternoon at the Kino Sports Complex.
SMSU, 6-5 overall, has its longest winning streak since winning five in a row during the 2018 season.
The Mustangs rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the seventh with two in the seventh an insurance in the eighth to defeat the Jimmies for the second time in three games this week.
Isaac Nett led the SMSU offense with a career-high four hits, while
Chase McDaniel,
Max Kalenberg and
Owen Latendresse each added two hits to pace the Mustangs' 13-hit attack.
Ryan Chmielewski (1-2) started on the mound for the Mustangs and earned his first career victory lasting six innings and allowed two runs. He gave up nine hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
SMSU received scoreless relief in the final three innings from
Jerod Cyrus,
Avery Stevens and
Andy Andresen. Andresen entered the game with a runner on base and one out in the ninth, but closed the game with a pair of fly outs to secure his first career save.
The Jimmies (10-10) took an early lead pushing across a run in the bottom of the second inning.
SMSU had a great chance to tie the game in the fourth with Nett, Kalenberg and Latendresse each hitting singles to load the bases with no out. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, a fielder's choice and two fly outs ended the inning with no runs crossing the plate.
The Mustangs tied the game in the sixth as Nett led-off the inning with a bunt single and moved to second on a failed pick-off attempt. Following a Kalenberg single that put runners at the corners, Latendresse drilled a run-scoring single to center to tie the game at 1-1.
The Jimmies took advantage of a two-out wild pitch to advance a runner to second and then went back in front with an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead after six complete.
SMSU answered back in a big way to take the lead in the seventh.
Keenan Wenzel doubled to start the inning, but was at third base with two outs following a pair of fly outs.
Jaxon Haase came through in a big way with a line single to tie the game at 2-2. Moments later, Nett ripped a triple to center to plate Haase and put the Mustangs in the lead at 3-2.
UJ loaded the bases off of SMSU relief pitcher
Jerod Cyrus in the home half of the frame, but a ground out ended the threat, keeping the Mustangs in the lead.
SMSU took advantage of a two-out dropped fly ball in the eighth to add to the lead.
Caleb Gardow came through with a clutch RBI single on a 1-2 count to score
Robbie Smith and push the score to 4-2.
Stevens worked a perfect eighth inning before allowing a one-out walk in the ninth, but Andresen entered the game and retired the final two batters.
Southwest Minnesota State concludes its eight-game trip to Tucson on Sunday with an 11 a.m. CDT match-up versus Carthage (Wis.).
