Box Score
FAYETTE, Iowa – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team completed a three-game sweep over Upper Iowa University on Monday afternoon scoring three runs in the bottom of ninth to rally for a dramatic 3-2 win at Robertson Woods Field.
Peyton Nash delivered the game-winning hit with a pinch-hit walk-off single to right-center field to score
Jake Tauer from second base and give the Mustangs their second walk-off victory of the series.
SMSU, which has won seven of its last eight, improves to 15-8 overall, 7-6 NSIC. UIU drops to 10-13 overall, 6-6 NSIC.
The series was scheduled to be played in Marshall but was moved due to poor weather.
SMSU was held in check in the first seven innings by UIU starting pitcher Kyle Hrncir, who allowed just one hit with four walks, as the Peacocks built a 2-0 lead.
Austin Shingledecker pitched a scoreless eighth inning for UIU, allowing only a bunt single to
Robbie Smith.
SMSU's game-winning rally started with
Isaac Nett working a walk to open the frame.
Owen Latendresse single to center to put the tying run on base. With UIU featuring three infielders on the left side of second base,
Max Kalenberg hit an RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Nett and send Latendresse to third. Tauer followed with a four-pitch walk to load the bases and end the day for Shingledecker. Sam Marhefke, who allowed
Keenan Wenzel's walk-off homer on Sunday, came on in relief and faced Wenzel once again. Wenzel would reach on a fielder's choice to tie the game as Latendresse scored and Kalenberg was retired at third base. Nash then came to the plate and came through smacking a 3-2 pitch from Marhefke for the game-winning RBI hit.
Shay Endres (2-2), the third of three SMSU pitchers used in the game, was outstanding in relief to earn the victory. He fired four shutout innings allowing just one hit with one walk and one strikeout.
Kolby Kiser started for the Mustangs and allowed one run on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks in four innings.
Logan McCray pitched the fifth inning and allowed an unearned run on one hit.
UIU scored the game's first run on a JJ Vargas one-out solo home run in the second and added an unearned run in the fifth.
Both teams finished with five hits.
SMSU's scheduled doubleheader with Concordia-St. Paul on Tuesday has been canceled due to poor weather and field availability. SMSU, which has this weekend off, returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 12, at Winona State.
