COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team closed its three-game opening Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference series on Monday afternoon suffering a 9-3 loss to Augustana University. Today's game was played on the campus of Iowa Western Community College.
 
Today's victory for AU completes a three-game sweep over SMSU, following Sunday's 2-1, 10-inning victory and 8-4 win.
 
SMSU is now 8-5 overall, 0-3, while AU improves to 14-9 overall, 3-0 NSIC.
 
The Mustangs opened the scoring on Monday in the top of the first with Isaac Nett hitting a two-out double and Owen Latendresse following with a run-scoring single.
 
The Vikings answered in the home half of the second taking advantage of a walk, a hit by pitch, two Mustang fielding errors, along with two bunt singles to score five runs on four hits.
 
The lead expanded in the third with the Vikings using back-to-back two-out doubles to make the score 6-1.
 
In the fifth, following two strikeouts to open the inning, the Vikings coaxed a pair of two-out walks before a two-run single moved the lead to 8-1.
 
SMSU pushed across a run in the sixth with Nett reaching on a lead-off single before advancing to third on a double by Latendresse and scoring on a ground out by Max Kalenberg.
 
Trailing 9-2 in the eighth, SMSU scored its final run of the game as Nett launched his third home run of the season over the right field fence.
 
Kolby Kiser (1-1) started on the mound for the Mustangs and allowed eight runs (six earned) on seven hits with nine strikeouts, while walking three and hitting one batter. Theo Giedd allowed one run in one inning of work, while Will Baldus and Craig Lasley each tossed one shutout inning.
 
Nett led the Mustangs with three hits and three runs scored, while Latendresse added two hits.
 
SMSU is scheduled to play at St. Cloud State on Wednesday, but the two games will more than likely be relocated. An official announcement will be made on Tuesday.