SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State baseball team combined for 17 extra-base hits and used strong pitching to earn a sweep over Bemidji State 17-0 and 15-1 in NSIC action played at Ronken Field on the campus of Augustana University.
 
The four-game series was originally scheduled to be played in Bemidji, Minn., but was moved due to poor weather and field conditions. The two teams will conclude the four-game set on Saturday with a doubleheader set for 12 p.m. at Aspen Park in Brandon, S.D.
 
SMSU pushes its record to 12-9 overall, 6-7 NSIC. Isaac Nett finished the two games with six hits and eight RBIs, while Owen Latendresse combined for six hits and seven RBIs.
 
In game one, Kolby Kiser (4-1) fired five shutout innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts and zero walks to earn the victory. He threw 54 pitches with 41 for strikes in earning his third straight victory in conference play. Will Hoernemann and Hayden Molva each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
 
The Mustang offense racked up a season-high 24 hits in the game with seven players collecting multi-hit games. Latendresse tied a career-high with four hits, including two doubles and a home run, while driving in four runs. Jake Tauer tied a career-high with four hits, while Cody Wichmann collected a career-high four hits in his conference start at designated hitter. Nett helped the cause with a career-high five RBIs and three hits, while Chase McDaniel recorded three hits with two RBIs and two runs scored. Keenan Wenzel and Caleb Gardow each closed with a pair of hits.
 
SMSU blew the game open with an eight-run second inning, racking up nine hits (six for extra-bases), including eight straight hits. McDaniel and Nett both had two-run doubles in the frame with Wenzel adding an RBI triple.
 
SMSU added five more in the third with Latendresse highlighting the inning with a two-run opposite field home run. The Mustangs closed the scoring with a four-run sixth inning on five more hits.
 
In game two, SMSU jumped to an early lead with three first inning runs with Latendresse smacking a two-run single and Peyton Nash adding a two-out RBI single.
 
BSU starting pitcher Jacob Smith held SMSU in check until the fifth when the Mustangs put the game away with a big four-run fifth inning. With one out, McDanield reached on a one-out triple before Nett drilled a run-scoring hit. With two outs, Wenzel reached via hit by pitch and scored moments later on a triple by Latendresse. Max Kalenberg would deliver the big blow of the frame launching a two-run home run over the left field wall to push the score to 7-0.
 
Tauer and Nett added RBI singles in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-0 before SMSU put the game away with a six-run top of the seventh. Nash started the scoring with his first career home run, a two-run shot over the right field fence, while Nett and Kalenberg each added run-scoring hits as the Mustang won via 10-run rule after seven innings.
 
Carter Petron (3-1) earned the victory tossing four-plus innings with four strikeouts, while walking six and hitting one batter. Shay Endress pitched two innings, allowing a solo home run in the sixth, while Noah Cekalla retired the side in the seventh to seal the win.
 
SMSU closed game two with 15 hits, while BSU was limited to one hit.