CROOKSTON, Minn. - The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team split its road doubleheader with Minnesota Crookston on Saturday.  

Kolby Kiser started off strong for the Mustangs in the first inning, striking out the first two batters he faced and forcing a ground out to end the first. Kiser picked up a pair of strikeouts in the second inning as well, but after a throwing error, UMC put a run on the board.  

The Golden Eagles would find their rhythm in the fourth inning, scoring three in the fourth and four more in the fifth to take an 8-0 lead, which they would hold until the end of the game.  

After joining the Mustangs' 200-hit club on Wednesday, Chase McDaniel continued his strong hitting this season, going 2-3 in game one. Not to be outdone, Owen Latendresse went a perfect 3-3, with three singles.  

The momentum on the day changed with the start of game two. Chase McDaniel opened the game with a solo home run to give the Mustangs the early lead.  

UMC would answer in the bottom of the second, scoring a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead heading into the third inning.  

Peyton Nash took advantage of a wild pitch in the top of the fourth inning to even things up, before McDaniel brought in Jake Tauer on a sacrifice fly. An RBI double by Owen Latendresse scored Isaac Nett, to give the Mustangs a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth.  

The Mustangs would resume their offensive output in the top of the fifth, after a single by Max Kalenberg to get the team started, Keenan Wenzel hit a two-run home run to put SMSU up 6-2. Peyton Nash tripled to center field and was brought in on a sacrifice bunt by Jake Tauer, to extend the lead to five.  

Max Kalenberg continued his strong game in the sixth inning, with an RBI single that brought in Jaxon Haase.  

In the top of the seventh, the first two Mustang batters got out, before Tauer reached on an error. That mistake would prove to be very costly for the Golden Eagles, as McDaniel singled, before Isaac Nett launched a three-run home run to put the Mustangs up 11-2. Latendresse singled and stole second base, before being brought in by Haase on an RBI single down the third base line.  

Carter Petron pitched a stellar game for the Mustangs, as he recorded a career-high in strikeouts with 11 and only allowed five hits and a pair of runs.  

The Mustangs will face UMC in one game on Sunday, before hosting Northern State on Wednesday in a double header, scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.