TUCSON, Ariz. – Southwest Minnesota State opened its eight-game schedule at the Tucson Invitational on Sunday earning a come-from-behind 9-7 victory over the University of Jamestown at the Kino Sports Complex.
SMSU, 2-3 overall, trailed 3-0 after four innings and 7-3 in the seventh, but rallied back with three runs in the both the seventh and eighth innings to secure the victory.
Chase McDaniel delivered the game-winning hit with a two-run single in the bottom of the eighth.
Jamestown jumped out to a quick start with a top of the first inning three-run home run off of SMSU starter
Kolby Kiser.
The score remained 3-0 until the fifth when the Mustangs took advantage of wild Jamestown pitching.
Jake Tauer started the rally with a walk and moved to second on a hit by pitch to
Keenan Wenzel. Following a pitching change and two strikeouts, McDaniel was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Jaxon Haase then ripped a two-run single to cut the deficit to 3-2 after five.
The Jimmies answered right back in the sixth taking advantage of two Mustang errors to plate a pair of unearned runs and regain the three-run advantage at 5-2.
The Mustangs chipped into the lead in the home half of the sixth behind a lead-off double by
Isaac Nett and a sac fly from Tauer to make the score 5-3.
UJ added to the lead with a pair of runs in the seventh, but once again SMSU had a response.
Caleb Gardow started the inning with a single and following a Jamestown fielding error the Mustangs had runners at first and second with no outs. A ground out moved both runners up before Haase followed with a walk to load the bases.
Max Kalenberg then slashed an RBI single to right field to score pinch runner
Brady Petron.
Isaac Nett coaxed a bases loaded walk to plate another run before
Peyton Nash made the score 7-6 with a sac fly.
In the eighth, Tauer started the rally with a single and moved to second on bunt single by Wenzel. After a fielder's choice and strikeout put runners at second and third with two outs, McDaniel lashed a 1-2 pitch into left field to plate two runs and give SMSU an 8-7 advantage. Two batters later, Kalenberg added to the lead with a run-scoring single to make the score 9-7.
Sam Nascak completed the victory tossing a 1-2-3 top of the ninth for his first career win. Nascak pitched two hitless innings with a pair of strikeouts and two walks.
Kiser tossed the first four innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Gardow, Kalenberg, and McDaniel each finished with two hits to pace the Mustangs' 11-hit attack, while Haase, McDaniel and Kalenberg all closed with two RBIs.
