TUCSON, Ariz. – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team earned its first victory of the season on Sunday morning pounding out 20 hits in earning a 14-7 win over Adams State (Colo.) at the Kino Sports Complex.
 
Keenan Wenzel had a career-high three hits for the Mustangs, while teammate Chase McDaniel and Jaxon Haase also both collected three hits. Owen Latendresse drove in a career-high five runs, while Isaac Nett had two hits, three RBIs and scored four runs.
 
SMSU (1-1) started the game strong in the top of the first as Haase and Nett hit one-out singles and Max Kalenberg was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Latendresse then drilled an 0-2 pitch to right field to score a pair of run and put the Mustangs on top 2-0.
 
ASU (5-11) countered in the home half of the first to score a run behind three hits and a fielder's choice ground out to cut the SMSU lead to 2-1.
 
SMSU added to the lead in the third loading the bases behind a single by McDaniel, a walk to Nett and a single by Kalenberg. The lead moved to 4-1 following another 2-run single by Latendresse and moments later Peyton Nash lashed an RBI single to put the Mustangs in front 5-1.
 
The Mustangs exploded in the fourth inning, scoring five runs on five hits. Wenzel started the rally with a single and scored one batter later on a triple by Robbie Smith. McDaniel would follow with an RBI single before Haase drilled a run-scoring double to make the score 8-1. A fielder's choice ground out by Latendresse scored another run before Peyton Nash singled home the final run of the inning to extend the lead to 10-1.
 
Leading 10-2 in the eighth, SMSU expanded the margin behind a two-run double from Nett and a bases loaded walk to Brady Petron to make the score 13-2.
 
ASU answered with a five-run eighth, but SMSU picked up another run in the ninth as McDaniel walked, stole second and later scored on a sac fly by Nett.
 
Carter Petron, a transfer from South Dakota State, made his first start in a Mustang uniform and tossed five innings, scattering seven hits, while allowing two runs. He struck out one and walked one in earning his first career victory. Freshman Will Baldus fired 2 2/3 innings and allowed four runs with three strikeouts, while redshirt freshman Mitchell Bouwman pitched the final 1 1/3 innings, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout.