WAYNE, Neb. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball opened the NSIC season on Saturday, losing 4-3 and 10-8 to Wayne State at Pete Chapman Complex in Wayne, Neb.
WSC (8-7, 2-0 NSIC) tied up game one at 3-3 in the sixth with a solo home run and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh via walk-off fashion with a fielder's choice. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Wildcats' Chris Cornish hit a slow ground-ball to Mustang shortstop
Chase McDaniel who fielded the ball and tossed to second for the third out as called on the field. But the umpires watched replay and over-ruled the call at second and allowing the game-winning run to score.
Both teams finished with six hits in game one, as SMSU's
Isaac Nett and
Jaxon Haase each had two hits, while McDaniel and
Max Kalenberg both collected one hit.
Kolby Kiser (0-2) started on the mound for the Mustangs and lasted six-plus innings allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
SMSU (7-7, 0-2 NSIC) opened the scoring in the first with Haase, Nett and Kalenberg loading the bases with singles.
Owen Latendresse followed with a fielder's choice to plate the game's first run.
WSC used a two-run single in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 before SMSU rallied to regain the lead in the third. McDaniel and Haase started the rally with singles before Nett rapped an RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2. SMSU would later score as Haase scored while Nett was caught in a run-down between first and second base.
SMSU would maintain the lead through five innings behind the pitching of Kiser. WSC would threaten in the fourth with a single and two walks to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the rally.
The score would remain 3-2 until Cornish belted a solo homer to lead-off the sixth inning.
In game two, SMSU would take an 8-4 lead into the seventh inning, but a four-run seventh and two-run eighth inning would be enough to lift WSC to a doubleheader sweep.
The Mustangs would outhit the Wildcats 14-11 but would leave nine runners on base while WSC would clean up the bases, stranding just three. Five separate Mustangs would have a multi-hit game, with Nett (Two runs scord and three RBIs) and Gardow (three runs scored) each going 3 for 4 to lead the way.
Cameron Jensen (1-1) would be dealt the loss in relief, getting two outs while giving up three runs on one hit and a pair of walks. Jensen would get both his outs to close the seventh inning but would walk both batters he faced to open the eighth inning.
After an RBI double in the first by Cornish to open the scoring, the Mustangs would answer in the third, as RBI singles by McDaniel and Nett would give SMSU a 2-1 lead.
The Wildcats reclaimed the lead in the third with a two-run home run and would double their lead to 4-2 with an RBI single in the fourth inning.
The Mustangs offense would heat up in the fifth inning. After a one-out double by
Caleb Gardow, McDaniel would deliver an RBI triple to cut the lead to one, and Haase would knot the game at 4-4 with an RBI single to score McDaniel. Nett would close out the one-out hit parade with a two-run homer to right center to give SMSU the lead back at 6-4.
SMSU would add to the lead in the sixth and seventh innings, as Gardow would come in on a wild pitch in the sixth and Kalenberg would score Nett on a single in the seventh to double up the Wildcats at 8-4.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, WSC would begin to climb back with an RBI double to make it 8-5, and after a single to put runners on the corners, would score a pair on a triple to left center to trail by one at 8-7. Cornish would lift a sacrifice fly to centerfield on a 2-0 pitch to tie the game at 8-8.
After a pair of walks and a sac bunt to open the eighth and put two runners in scoring position, WSC would take the lead on a wild pitch, and then score the second runner on a sacrifice fly to take a 10-8 lead that would prove to be the final score.
The Mustangs close their series against Wayne State on Sunday at noon.
