BRANDON, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team (7-9 overall, 1-4 NSIC) was limited to one hit in an 8-0 loss but rebounded in game two with an 11-6 victory to split with the University of Sioux Falls (12-10, 4-3) in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference doubleheader at Aspen Park on Saturday afternoon.
Andy Andresen had the lone hit for the Mustangs in game one, and although SMSU was the beneficiary of six walks in the game, they struck out 10 times and left seven runners on base.
USF would score three runs in the first inning off SMSU starter
Kolby Kiser (0-3) and added single runs in the third and three more in the fourth to cruise to the victory. Kiser finished the game tossing 3 1/3 innings and allowed seven runs on six hits.
Sam Nascak pitched 2/3 innings of inning in relief, while
Craig Lasley fired the final two frames and allowed one run.
USF starter Caleb Ditmarson tossed the seven-inning complete game with 10 strikeouts and six walks.
It's the first time SMSU has been shutout this season.
SMSU would outhit USF 14-9 in game two, as
Owen Latendresse would lead an offense that saw five multi-hit performances, going 3 for 5 with two home runs, three RBIs, and four runs scored.
The Mustangs would jump ahead with two outs in the first inning of game two as
Isaac Nett would drive an 0-1 pitch to left-center field, clearing the wall for his team-high third home run of the season and giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
Latendresse would double the lead to lead off the second inning, sending the first pitch he saw in nearly the same spot as Nett's home run to grow the lead to 2-0.
USF would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, picking up a walk and back-to-back singles with two outs to manufacture a run and make it 2-1.
Latendresse would lead off the fourth inning with a single and stolen base before scoring on a
Jake Tauer double, and Tauer would be driven in on a single from
Nick Brown to grow the lead to 4-1. SMSU would threaten the entire inning, but the USF defense would get a pair of outs at home plate on fielder's choices to limit further damage.
USF would trim the SMSU lead to 4-2 after a fifth inning sac fly, but the Mustangs would add a pair in the sixth after a Brown double,
Keenan Wenzel RBI double, and
Chase McDaniel RBI single with one out to go up 6-2.
Following a
Max Kalenberg single with one out in the seventh inning, Latendresse would send his second home run of the game over the left field fence to add insurance at 8-2.
USF would tack on another run on a sac fly in the bottom of the inning, but Kalenberg would put the game out of reach with a two-run shot to left in the top of the ninth, and
Kip Gronholz would send a sac fly to center to take an 11-3 lead.
USF would score three in the ninth on a sac fly, ground out, and wild pitch, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the deficit.
Ryan Chmielewski (2-2) would get the win after going 5 1/3 innings, giving up a pair of earned runs on a season-low four hits and four walks while striking out five.
It was the first time since Apr. 22, 2021, that the Mustangs would hit four home runs in a game and a player would have a multi-home run game.
The Mustangs and Cougars return to action at 1 p.m. on Sunday for the rubber match of their three-game series.
