NORWALK, Iowa – The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball team opened the 2025 season on Tuesday splitting a pair of close NSIC games with the University of Minnesota Duluth at Fareway Fields.
SMSU won the opener, 1-0, behind a two-hit shutout from senior
Ryan Chmielewski, while UMD pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 7-5 victory in the nightcap.
The two teams conclude the four-game series on Wednesday with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader.
Chmielewski dominated in the opener for SMSU tossing a two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and one walk. He closed the game firing 84 pitches with 52 for strikes in earning his second career shutout and first since 2022. Chmielewski walked the game's first batter but rebounded to retire 20 of the next 21 batters he faced until a two-out double in the seventh. The left-hander answered moments later with a strikeout to seal the victory.
Tyler Froland was the offensive hero for the Mustangs in the opener smacking one-out solo home run off a 3-2 pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning for the lone run of the game.
SMSU finished the opener with four hits as
Levi Lampert,
Cory Bantam and
Brock Woitalla each had base hits.
In game two, UMD used a four-run fourth inning to build a 5-1 advantage, but SMSU answered back to tie the game in the seventh. The Bulldogs however used a one-out RBI triple and a two-out SMSU throwing error to plate two runs and earn the 7-5 victory.
UMD opened the scoring taking advantage of a single, walk, wild pitch and a sac fly off SMSU starter
Shay Endres to build a 1-0 lead.
SMSU tied the game in the home half of the third as
Henry Hammrich smacked a solo home run over the left-center field wall in his first collegiate at bat.
UMD answered in a big way in the top of the fourth plating four runs on four hits to chase Endres with one out in the frame. SMSU freshman
Cullen Huppert retired the final two batters of the inning and then fired a scoreless fifth to keep the Mustangs in the game and rally to tie the game.
SMSU picked up a run in the fifth as
Brady Petron walked and later scored on a throwing error by the UMD pitcher following a bunt single by Hammrich.
SMSU cut into the deficit in the sixth loading the bases with no outs behind a Bantam singled, a four-pitch walk to Froland and a single by
Evan Behn. However, SMSU was able to push across just one run as Petron lofted a one-out sac fly to plate Bantam and make the score 5-3.
After SMSU reliever
Vinny Mauro fired a scoreless seventh, SMSU rallied to tie the game in the bottom half of the frame with three hits and had a great chance to take the lead. Hammrich started the rally with a single and moved to second on a single by Lampert. After
Owen Latendresse was retired on a hard-hit line out to center, Bantam made the score 5-4 with an RBI single to left field. Following a strikeout for the second out, Behn came through with a clutch two-out RBI double to tie the game at 5-5. SMSU threatened to take the lead with runners on second and third, but a strikeout kept the game tied.
Following a scoreless eighth, UMD put together a one-out rally in the ninth with a single and go-ahead RBI triple before adding an insurance run on a two-out throwing error by SMSU.
Lampert singled to start the ninth for the Mustangs, but a strikeout and two deep fly outs ended the game.
Endres tossed 3 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on five hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Huppert allowed two hits in two shutout innings, while Mauro (0-1) suffered the loss allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in three innings with one strikeout.
Jerod Cyrus recorded the final two outs for the Mustangs with one strikeout.
SMSU held a 10-9 hit advantage in the game with Hammrich finishing 3 for 4 with two runs scored, while Lampert, Bantam and Behn each collected two hits.
